Secret Garden, Chapter One
Title: Secret Garden
Chapter: 1 / 49
Beta:None
Pairing: GacktxYou
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Mystery, AU
Warnings: Gore, Drinking, Language
Disclaimer: Plot and and original characters are my own. Gackt and Co. belong to themselves.
Summary: Under the cover of night a killer is stalking Shinjuku’s underground and leading an improbable pair of allies on a depraved game of cat and mouse.
Detective You Hasegawa, let out a steady line of curses as he flipped the speed on his windshield wipers a notch higher.
The little strips of rubber increased their hurried, up and down swipes, useless as ever against the torrent of water that pounded down onto the windshield of the cruiser.
In the seat across from him, You's partner arched a quizzical eyebrow.
“I thought even murderers hated going out in the rain” Ju-ken mused, pausing to exhale a lungful of smoke out the tiny crack at the top of the passenger side window. “Crimes are supposed to decrease when it's raining you know...” he continued, his thumb rubbing absentmindedly over the three day growth of stubble on his chin.
A grin tugged a the corner of You's mouth as he took another tight corner down a side street, following the speeding line of marked cars, ahead of them.
“Nature seems to have made an exception for us today. You didn't skip any shrines on your last holiday, did you?”
His partner snorted disdainfully, stubbing out the glowing end of his cigarette in the already overflowing ashtray, “I'm starting to wonder....”
They followed the cars down yet another narrow street, muddy water splashing up under the tires of their car and pelting the windshield with a brown spray. You cursed again, mentally willing the the flimsy wipers to work harder.
“Here we are...” Ju-ken breathed, straitening in his seat.
Ahead, the cars they had been trailing, pulled in behind an already parked cruiser. The street dead ended here, in front of what appeared to be the back entrance to a decaying apartment complex. You slowly pulled the car in behind them, watching as uniformed officers poured out of the cars in a wave and hurried through the apartments entrance.
“We are never going to get out of here” You commented, sparring a backwards glance in the rear view mirror, to where the M.E.'s car was pulling in behind them, effectively blocking the street.
Turning off the engine, You cracked open his door, instantly flinching against the wall of cold water that pelted his face. Kami, bless the rainy season.
“Lovely day You-kun”. You looked up to where the M.E. already stood beside his door, peering at the detective from under the rim of his gaudy animal print umbrella.
You resisted the urge to glare at the older man, as he slid out of the car and fully into the pounding rain. “Lovely?” He quipped. “Have you been drinking this morning, Fujimura-San?”
The short, man grinned back at him, seemingly unflustered by the detective's question. “Not yet, You-Kun. Though perhaps, in a few minutes we may all be wishing we'd tossed a few back this morning. Dispatch made it sound like quite the blood-bath and it must really be something...” he turned his head to nod at Ju-ken, as the man rounded the side of the car to stand beside the already drenched pair.
“It takes an especially gruesome scene, to have two of the districts top detective called in. A dead rent boy...isn't something that usually elicits this much muscle.”
You cringed inwardly, staring at the entrance to the building. The dark doorway was growing more ominous looking by the second and having the older man voicing his own thoughts wasn't helping calm his nerves in the slightest.
“Well” the M.E. said, after a moment of empty silence, “Shall we?”
He extended a gloved hand in the direction of the building, indicating that the two detectives should proceed him.
“Might as well get out of this downpour” Ju-ken affirmed with a sigh, moving towards the entrance.
But before he could make it to the pair of steps that lead up into the apartments, the sound of hurried footfalls reached the ears of the three men. The men paused, glancing at one another, as the sound of running grew closer. You's hand slid to his side, fingers slipping under his coat to touch the ribbed plastic grip of his service piece. Ju-ken, he saw out of the corner of his vision was doing the same, moving as he did so, to place himself in front of the M.E.
There was a tense minute as the three men waited, muscles tensed and ready for action as the noises drew closer. Then, quite suddenly a figure appeared, rushing through the open doorway.
You groaned, his hand falling away from the gun hidden at his side. He and the other two men, watched as the young police officer, who had just emerged from the doorway, collapsed over the side of step's guardrail and proceeded to empty the contents of his stomach onto the muddy ground.
Fujimura, free hand planted on his hip, glanced over to meet You's eyes, his own brows furrowed in amusement. “Well this ought to be fun.”
Did the local police have to be so damned officiant? If the body had only been discovered a day later, he would have already been gone on his vacation and somebody else could have dealt with this nightmare.
“Five, to six hours.”
The sound of Fujimura's voice, roused You from his momentary bout of self pity. He looked up from the patch of scuffed and filthy linoleum that his eyes had been focused on for the past ten minutes. The Medical Examiner, his long hair tied behind his head in tight ponytail, stepped down from the stool he had been teetering on. The long haired man paused, dropping the glorified meat thermometer that he held, into a plastic bag and replacing it in his kit.
“Detective Hasegawa?” He was in professional mode now as he jotted down notes on his clipboard.
“Sir?” You replied stepping forward, his movement raising a cloud of dust underfoot.
Everything in the room was covered in a thick layer of dust. The smell of stale air assaulted You's nose. Stale air, mixed with mildew and the smell of a butchers or perhaps a slaughter house. The latter sounded more likely to You, although he'd never actually been in a slaughter house, so his bases for comparison was nonexistent. But that odor...the smell of blood that had just recently started to discompose...
“The photographer has already gotten shots of the restraints,” Fujimura continued. “Would you kindly cut the poor little thing down?” His voice was unusually drawn and his face pale as he turned back to look up at the small body of the teen who had been strung up from an exposed beam in the rotting ceiling.
You blinked in confusion at the man's words, “Me?”
The M.E turned back to face him, nodding in answer.
“We don't have a tall enough ladder on hand, for one of my team to reach. But I'd say that freakish height of yours should do the trick”, he replied, a little of his normal good humor edging his words.
You stepped forward to where the body hung, careful to stay on the work path that had been sponged clean of blood and debris. He paused a few feet away to take in the scene one last time, before everything was dismantled and packed into bags and evidence bins.
The naked body of a teenage boy, no more than fifteen hung, suspended by his wrist from the ceiling. The boy was the usual sort for his profession, small, no muscle to speak of, traces of baby fat still clinging to delicate cheek bones. His nails were painted a shade of blue that matched the color of the hair that hid his face, or rather it would have matched if the light blues locks hadn't been stained and thatched with a thick layer of blood.
His attacker had hung the boy, still very much alive at that point from the ceiling. He had then proceeded to beat, whip and rape his victim before, finally cutting open both the boy's wrists and pulling him up, complete off the floor, leaving his victim to bleed to death. Charming.
Grimacing, You yanked his eyes away from the face of the boy, who's head rested, slumped against his chest and excepted the pair of snips that one of Fujimura's team offered him.
The M.E. sighed tiredly beside him, pulling off his stained gloves and dropping them into yet another bag, “Just above the knots, if you please, detective.”
A few minutes later, You, emerged from the door of the crumbling tenement, Ju-ken trailing behind him. Both men's faces were grim as they stepped back into the rain. Murder was never a sunshine and roses affair, but dealing with dead kids seamed to make thing a hundred times worse.
“Well” Ju-ken said, his word coming out in a sigh, “You wanna interview the neighbors, or the kids that found the body?”
You shrugged, “I guess I'll take the kids.”
Ju-ken snorted slapping his partner lightly on the shoulder, “Good luck with that, I hear they're quite the little pair of tough cases.”
The pair made their way back down the narrow street in silence. They paused at the point where the street divided into a four-way. Ju-ken went straight, heading back for the main road and street front entrances to the neighboring buildings.
You veered of to the right, heading for where a loan police cruiser was parked on the side street.
At his approach, the vehicle's driver side door swung open and a well built man stepped out into the rain, slamming his door closed behind him.
“Ryu” You greeted, “Get anything useful?”
The older detective shrugged, adjusting the collar of his jacket, “They know more than they feel like sharing. That's for damn sure.”
“Oh?”
“Seems they knew the victim.”
You arched a surprised eyebrow at the announcement.
Ryu, paused fishing a hand around in one of his jacket's inner pockets. He extracted a small note pad, quickly passing it to You before it could become drenched. You slipped open the book, one hand carefully shielding it from the rain.
“They worked the same corner” the older man explained, making his way back towards the car. “Hadn't seen him since last night...apparently he got a call, around twelve. Just...took off, said he had a job in a different district.”
Ryu stopped next to the back passenger side door and pulled the door open, reveling two sour faced young men. They looked much the same as their now dead companion. Youthful faces glared at the pair of detectives from under bangs that were dyed varying and unnatural colors.
The older of the two boys, looked up to Ryu, where he stood leaning against the door.
“We already told you everything we know. What more do you want?” the boy spat venomously.
You cleared his throat, looking up from the notes he was still browsing through. “Why would someone want to do this to your friend?”
The Boy turned his attention to You, rolling his eyes tiredly. “How the fuck would I know? The worlds full of fucked up pricks. Maybe this one gets a kick out of shit like that.” The boy sniffed disdainfully, raising a hand to wipe his nose against the cheap synthetic fabrics of his shirt sleeve. “Anyway...the idiot was asking for it...going over there to work.”
“Over there?” You questioned.
“East district” the boy replied slumping back into his seat .
You and Ryu continued to stare down at the young man expectantly.
The boy's brows furrowed as he looked from one detective to the other in apparent disbelief. Then he sighed, with the air of someone who was sure they were dealing with idiots.
“ East district...high class. Thats where the ones with serious cash do their shopping. They don't pay that much for our type.”
“And why was he “asking for it”, going over there?”
This question prompted another furtive eye roll from the boy. “The people over there don't like us being on their turf...that bastard probably did this himself...”
You and Ryu exchanged surprised glances, at boy's last comment.
“And just who would that be?” Ryu prompted, leaning in a little further.
“The reining queen himself. Real freaky bitch, if ever there was one and talk about being fucking stuck-up.”
“Whys he a err...freaky bitch?”
“That one is a specialist”, the boy replied making a none to subtle gagging noise in the back of his throat.
You took a step closer, pulling a pen from his coat pocket. “Does this freaky bitch have a name?” he asked, deciding he didn't want to know just what the man was a specialist at.
“Most people do”, the boy replied dryly, crossing his arms over his thin chest.
“You know what I mean kid.”
The boy snorted, his glare intensifying. “You expect me to give you his name? Yeah, right and then what about when psycho bitch finds out that I'm the one who pointed you, in his direction. No thank you. Figure it out yourself.”
You sighed tiredly glancing over once more to Ryu. The other man was more familiar with this area and its wild life. But the older shrugged, shaking his head in reply.
You leaned over the boy, his jaw set, doing his best to look intimidating. “Look kid, either you give me this person's name and where to find them and we let you go on your way, or I'm gonna arrest both of you. Do you really want to go to the work of busting out of yet another group home?”
The boy practically growled at the older man as he continued silently, glaring daggers in You's direction.
Despite the boys continued silence, You knew had won. “Just give me a name and a place” he prompted, thrusting the notepad and pen at the young man.
The boy glared a moment longer, before finally uncrossing his arms and swiping the proffered items from You's grasp.
He quickly jotted down a few lines on the paper, and practically flung both items back at the detective.
You smiled at the boy, tucking the paper back into his pocket, “Arigatou gozaimasu,”
Then turning to Ryu, “Why don't you go get these kids a cup of coffee or something before you cut them loose.”
The older man smiled indulgently, “sure.”
“You kids keep in touch, got it?” and with that You swung the car door closed, cutting off the boy's muttered reply of “jackass” with a satisfying click.
“Charmer, neh?” Ryu snorted.
You sighed, glancing back to the steamed over window of the cruiser “They do what they have to” he replied fishing the note book back out of his pocket and tearing out the page he needed before handing it back to Ryu. He was surprised as he glanced down at the paper, to see that the name was written in English. At least it appeared to be English, or one of the other European scripts.
Folding the paper in half, he pocketed it once again, “Well then, well then...I guess its time for an equally interesting visit.”
Ryu looked up from where he now stood, at the driver side door, his finger gripping the handle.
“Good luck”
“Sounds like I'll need it” You replied, waving over his shoulder as he turned from the car and headed back down the street.
He was more than ready to get back into his car and out of here before his penchant for catching head colds, reared its ugly head.
Hopefully the street was unblocked by now.
You's nerves were on end as he passed through the door and into the dimly lit confines of one of the east areas many night clubs. The sun was just starting to set outside but already the club was packed with people.
Some mingled on the dance floor, others, men and women alike stood around sipping drinks or lounging at one of the many tables. It was mostly an older crowd You noted with slight surprise. Most seemed over the age of twenty and almost all of them looked like they had money.
You bit his lip nervously adjusting his coat collar, as he made his way though the crowd. He hoped to find his target without arousing anyone's suspicions. He had taken the time to straighted his hair and slip his badge into a pocket before entering, but he was really starting to wish he had taken the time to stop back at his flat and put on a nicer shirt.
Trying to look confident, he made his way over to where one of the clubs scantily clad waitresses was crossing the room.
“Miss?”
The woman, dressed in what he supposed was meant to pass as a maid's uniform, paused turning to him, an effortless smile painted on her dark lips. “What can I do for you sir?”
“I'm trying to find someone, you see. But I can't manage to find him. The place is so full tonight.”
The woman smiled obligingly, “Yes sir?”
You leaned over whispering the name he had been given into the woman's ear . The waitress leaned back a moment later.
“Ahhh..yes” she replied, her expression unchanged, but You was sure he had seen another look cross her face, even if it had only been there for split second.
Disgust
“He's at the bar, sir.” She paused a moment, her smile looking distinctly forced. As if she had suddenly noticed a unpleasant smell, but was to polite to comment. “Is there anything else I can do for you sir?”
“No, thank you for your help.”
The woman bowed her head politely before turning on her heels and heading in the other direction as fast as her high heal clad feet could carry her.
Frowning at the womans reaction, You turned making his way towards the bar that sat against the far wall that made up the club's main room.
Only a few people sat along the long expanse of polished granite. The first few he passed by, dismissing them at first glance. A pair of well dressed business men in their early forties, a younger man in his twenties sporting a school boy's buzz cut. Totally wrong. The fourth one gave him pause. Dressed in tight fitting clothing, the tips of his hair died a bright red, this one looked like a slightly older, slightly better dressed version of the boys he had spoken to earlier in the day. But...hardly a figure that would strike fear or for that matter any other emotion in the heart of a hard boiled street kid.
He continued his leisurely stroll down the length of the bar, trying to look nonchalant, and then quite suddenly, as his eyes roamed across the space, You froze.
He was, he realized being watched by a pair of incredibly bright blue eyes.
His breath hitching in his throat, You stepped forward. His gaze was locked with that of the other man, who was watching him from under dark bangs, his large glossy lips tracing the edge of the glass that he had paused in raising to his mouth.
This was the man he was looking for.
The blue eyed man continued to watch him with unabashed interest, as You drew near to him, stopping a few feet from where the man sat. You cleared his throat, praying as he took in the mans incredibly long, leather clad legs, that he was about to pronounce the name he had been given correctly.
“Gackt?”
The man arched a perfectly trimmed eyebrow, his silver earrings swinging crazily as he cocked his head to one side. He remained silent a moment longer, his bright eyes tracing up the length of You's body, in a way that made the detective's skin crawl. Then finally, he lowered the glass from his lips, setting it down with careless 'thwack' on the polished stone of the bar.
“Yes?” The voice that emerged from those large lips was surprisingly deep.
You cleared his throat once more, “You are, Gackt? Correct?”
The man's mouth curved into a slight smile, revealing a flash of perfect white teeth.
“Yes I am...and just what can I do for you, detective?”
next ⇒
_________________________________________
*Cough cough* Well then....
Frankly the idea came to me this morning, completely out of right field and refused to stop gnawing on my brain. So I sat down and did a bit of speed writing.
I'm not sure if this is even an interesting enough idea to keep going with...oh well! *shrugs*
If it amuses you, leave a comment. ^_^
Chapter: 1 / 49
Beta:None
Pairing: GacktxYou
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Mystery, AU
Warnings: Gore, Drinking, Language
Disclaimer: Plot and and original characters are my own. Gackt and Co. belong to themselves.
Summary: Under the cover of night a killer is stalking Shinjuku’s underground and leading an improbable pair of allies on a depraved game of cat and mouse.
Detective You Hasegawa, let out a steady line of curses as he flipped the speed on his windshield wipers a notch higher.
The little strips of rubber increased their hurried, up and down swipes, useless as ever against the torrent of water that pounded down onto the windshield of the cruiser.
In the seat across from him, You's partner arched a quizzical eyebrow.
“I thought even murderers hated going out in the rain” Ju-ken mused, pausing to exhale a lungful of smoke out the tiny crack at the top of the passenger side window. “Crimes are supposed to decrease when it's raining you know...” he continued, his thumb rubbing absentmindedly over the three day growth of stubble on his chin.
A grin tugged a the corner of You's mouth as he took another tight corner down a side street, following the speeding line of marked cars, ahead of them.
“Nature seems to have made an exception for us today. You didn't skip any shrines on your last holiday, did you?”
His partner snorted disdainfully, stubbing out the glowing end of his cigarette in the already overflowing ashtray, “I'm starting to wonder....”
They followed the cars down yet another narrow street, muddy water splashing up under the tires of their car and pelting the windshield with a brown spray. You cursed again, mentally willing the the flimsy wipers to work harder.
“Here we are...” Ju-ken breathed, straitening in his seat.
Ahead, the cars they had been trailing, pulled in behind an already parked cruiser. The street dead ended here, in front of what appeared to be the back entrance to a decaying apartment complex. You slowly pulled the car in behind them, watching as uniformed officers poured out of the cars in a wave and hurried through the apartments entrance.
“We are never going to get out of here” You commented, sparring a backwards glance in the rear view mirror, to where the M.E.'s car was pulling in behind them, effectively blocking the street.
Turning off the engine, You cracked open his door, instantly flinching against the wall of cold water that pelted his face. Kami, bless the rainy season.
“Lovely day You-kun”. You looked up to where the M.E. already stood beside his door, peering at the detective from under the rim of his gaudy animal print umbrella.
You resisted the urge to glare at the older man, as he slid out of the car and fully into the pounding rain. “Lovely?” He quipped. “Have you been drinking this morning, Fujimura-San?”
The short, man grinned back at him, seemingly unflustered by the detective's question. “Not yet, You-Kun. Though perhaps, in a few minutes we may all be wishing we'd tossed a few back this morning. Dispatch made it sound like quite the blood-bath and it must really be something...” he turned his head to nod at Ju-ken, as the man rounded the side of the car to stand beside the already drenched pair.
“It takes an especially gruesome scene, to have two of the districts top detective called in. A dead rent boy...isn't something that usually elicits this much muscle.”
You cringed inwardly, staring at the entrance to the building. The dark doorway was growing more ominous looking by the second and having the older man voicing his own thoughts wasn't helping calm his nerves in the slightest.
“Well” the M.E. said, after a moment of empty silence, “Shall we?”
He extended a gloved hand in the direction of the building, indicating that the two detectives should proceed him.
“Might as well get out of this downpour” Ju-ken affirmed with a sigh, moving towards the entrance.
But before he could make it to the pair of steps that lead up into the apartments, the sound of hurried footfalls reached the ears of the three men. The men paused, glancing at one another, as the sound of running grew closer. You's hand slid to his side, fingers slipping under his coat to touch the ribbed plastic grip of his service piece. Ju-ken, he saw out of the corner of his vision was doing the same, moving as he did so, to place himself in front of the M.E.
There was a tense minute as the three men waited, muscles tensed and ready for action as the noises drew closer. Then, quite suddenly a figure appeared, rushing through the open doorway.
You groaned, his hand falling away from the gun hidden at his side. He and the other two men, watched as the young police officer, who had just emerged from the doorway, collapsed over the side of step's guardrail and proceeded to empty the contents of his stomach onto the muddy ground.
Fujimura, free hand planted on his hip, glanced over to meet You's eyes, his own brows furrowed in amusement. “Well this ought to be fun.”
Did the local police have to be so damned officiant? If the body had only been discovered a day later, he would have already been gone on his vacation and somebody else could have dealt with this nightmare.
“Five, to six hours.”
The sound of Fujimura's voice, roused You from his momentary bout of self pity. He looked up from the patch of scuffed and filthy linoleum that his eyes had been focused on for the past ten minutes. The Medical Examiner, his long hair tied behind his head in tight ponytail, stepped down from the stool he had been teetering on. The long haired man paused, dropping the glorified meat thermometer that he held, into a plastic bag and replacing it in his kit.
“Detective Hasegawa?” He was in professional mode now as he jotted down notes on his clipboard.
“Sir?” You replied stepping forward, his movement raising a cloud of dust underfoot.
Everything in the room was covered in a thick layer of dust. The smell of stale air assaulted You's nose. Stale air, mixed with mildew and the smell of a butchers or perhaps a slaughter house. The latter sounded more likely to You, although he'd never actually been in a slaughter house, so his bases for comparison was nonexistent. But that odor...the smell of blood that had just recently started to discompose...
“The photographer has already gotten shots of the restraints,” Fujimura continued. “Would you kindly cut the poor little thing down?” His voice was unusually drawn and his face pale as he turned back to look up at the small body of the teen who had been strung up from an exposed beam in the rotting ceiling.
You blinked in confusion at the man's words, “Me?”
The M.E turned back to face him, nodding in answer.
“We don't have a tall enough ladder on hand, for one of my team to reach. But I'd say that freakish height of yours should do the trick”, he replied, a little of his normal good humor edging his words.
You stepped forward to where the body hung, careful to stay on the work path that had been sponged clean of blood and debris. He paused a few feet away to take in the scene one last time, before everything was dismantled and packed into bags and evidence bins.
The naked body of a teenage boy, no more than fifteen hung, suspended by his wrist from the ceiling. The boy was the usual sort for his profession, small, no muscle to speak of, traces of baby fat still clinging to delicate cheek bones. His nails were painted a shade of blue that matched the color of the hair that hid his face, or rather it would have matched if the light blues locks hadn't been stained and thatched with a thick layer of blood.
His attacker had hung the boy, still very much alive at that point from the ceiling. He had then proceeded to beat, whip and rape his victim before, finally cutting open both the boy's wrists and pulling him up, complete off the floor, leaving his victim to bleed to death. Charming.
Grimacing, You yanked his eyes away from the face of the boy, who's head rested, slumped against his chest and excepted the pair of snips that one of Fujimura's team offered him.
The M.E. sighed tiredly beside him, pulling off his stained gloves and dropping them into yet another bag, “Just above the knots, if you please, detective.”
A few minutes later, You, emerged from the door of the crumbling tenement, Ju-ken trailing behind him. Both men's faces were grim as they stepped back into the rain. Murder was never a sunshine and roses affair, but dealing with dead kids seamed to make thing a hundred times worse.
“Well” Ju-ken said, his word coming out in a sigh, “You wanna interview the neighbors, or the kids that found the body?”
You shrugged, “I guess I'll take the kids.”
Ju-ken snorted slapping his partner lightly on the shoulder, “Good luck with that, I hear they're quite the little pair of tough cases.”
The pair made their way back down the narrow street in silence. They paused at the point where the street divided into a four-way. Ju-ken went straight, heading back for the main road and street front entrances to the neighboring buildings.
You veered of to the right, heading for where a loan police cruiser was parked on the side street.
At his approach, the vehicle's driver side door swung open and a well built man stepped out into the rain, slamming his door closed behind him.
“Ryu” You greeted, “Get anything useful?”
The older detective shrugged, adjusting the collar of his jacket, “They know more than they feel like sharing. That's for damn sure.”
“Oh?”
“Seems they knew the victim.”
You arched a surprised eyebrow at the announcement.
Ryu, paused fishing a hand around in one of his jacket's inner pockets. He extracted a small note pad, quickly passing it to You before it could become drenched. You slipped open the book, one hand carefully shielding it from the rain.
“They worked the same corner” the older man explained, making his way back towards the car. “Hadn't seen him since last night...apparently he got a call, around twelve. Just...took off, said he had a job in a different district.”
Ryu stopped next to the back passenger side door and pulled the door open, reveling two sour faced young men. They looked much the same as their now dead companion. Youthful faces glared at the pair of detectives from under bangs that were dyed varying and unnatural colors.
The older of the two boys, looked up to Ryu, where he stood leaning against the door.
“We already told you everything we know. What more do you want?” the boy spat venomously.
You cleared his throat, looking up from the notes he was still browsing through. “Why would someone want to do this to your friend?”
The Boy turned his attention to You, rolling his eyes tiredly. “How the fuck would I know? The worlds full of fucked up pricks. Maybe this one gets a kick out of shit like that.” The boy sniffed disdainfully, raising a hand to wipe his nose against the cheap synthetic fabrics of his shirt sleeve. “Anyway...the idiot was asking for it...going over there to work.”
“Over there?” You questioned.
“East district” the boy replied slumping back into his seat .
You and Ryu continued to stare down at the young man expectantly.
The boy's brows furrowed as he looked from one detective to the other in apparent disbelief. Then he sighed, with the air of someone who was sure they were dealing with idiots.
“ East district...high class. Thats where the ones with serious cash do their shopping. They don't pay that much for our type.”
“And why was he “asking for it”, going over there?”
This question prompted another furtive eye roll from the boy. “The people over there don't like us being on their turf...that bastard probably did this himself...”
You and Ryu exchanged surprised glances, at boy's last comment.
“And just who would that be?” Ryu prompted, leaning in a little further.
“The reining queen himself. Real freaky bitch, if ever there was one and talk about being fucking stuck-up.”
“Whys he a err...freaky bitch?”
“That one is a specialist”, the boy replied making a none to subtle gagging noise in the back of his throat.
You took a step closer, pulling a pen from his coat pocket. “Does this freaky bitch have a name?” he asked, deciding he didn't want to know just what the man was a specialist at.
“Most people do”, the boy replied dryly, crossing his arms over his thin chest.
“You know what I mean kid.”
The boy snorted, his glare intensifying. “You expect me to give you his name? Yeah, right and then what about when psycho bitch finds out that I'm the one who pointed you, in his direction. No thank you. Figure it out yourself.”
You sighed tiredly glancing over once more to Ryu. The other man was more familiar with this area and its wild life. But the older shrugged, shaking his head in reply.
You leaned over the boy, his jaw set, doing his best to look intimidating. “Look kid, either you give me this person's name and where to find them and we let you go on your way, or I'm gonna arrest both of you. Do you really want to go to the work of busting out of yet another group home?”
The boy practically growled at the older man as he continued silently, glaring daggers in You's direction.
Despite the boys continued silence, You knew had won. “Just give me a name and a place” he prompted, thrusting the notepad and pen at the young man.
The boy glared a moment longer, before finally uncrossing his arms and swiping the proffered items from You's grasp.
He quickly jotted down a few lines on the paper, and practically flung both items back at the detective.
You smiled at the boy, tucking the paper back into his pocket, “Arigatou gozaimasu,”
Then turning to Ryu, “Why don't you go get these kids a cup of coffee or something before you cut them loose.”
The older man smiled indulgently, “sure.”
“You kids keep in touch, got it?” and with that You swung the car door closed, cutting off the boy's muttered reply of “jackass” with a satisfying click.
“Charmer, neh?” Ryu snorted.
You sighed, glancing back to the steamed over window of the cruiser “They do what they have to” he replied fishing the note book back out of his pocket and tearing out the page he needed before handing it back to Ryu. He was surprised as he glanced down at the paper, to see that the name was written in English. At least it appeared to be English, or one of the other European scripts.
Folding the paper in half, he pocketed it once again, “Well then, well then...I guess its time for an equally interesting visit.”
Ryu looked up from where he now stood, at the driver side door, his finger gripping the handle.
“Good luck”
“Sounds like I'll need it” You replied, waving over his shoulder as he turned from the car and headed back down the street.
He was more than ready to get back into his car and out of here before his penchant for catching head colds, reared its ugly head.
Hopefully the street was unblocked by now.
You's nerves were on end as he passed through the door and into the dimly lit confines of one of the east areas many night clubs. The sun was just starting to set outside but already the club was packed with people.
Some mingled on the dance floor, others, men and women alike stood around sipping drinks or lounging at one of the many tables. It was mostly an older crowd You noted with slight surprise. Most seemed over the age of twenty and almost all of them looked like they had money.
You bit his lip nervously adjusting his coat collar, as he made his way though the crowd. He hoped to find his target without arousing anyone's suspicions. He had taken the time to straighted his hair and slip his badge into a pocket before entering, but he was really starting to wish he had taken the time to stop back at his flat and put on a nicer shirt.
Trying to look confident, he made his way over to where one of the clubs scantily clad waitresses was crossing the room.
“Miss?”
The woman, dressed in what he supposed was meant to pass as a maid's uniform, paused turning to him, an effortless smile painted on her dark lips. “What can I do for you sir?”
“I'm trying to find someone, you see. But I can't manage to find him. The place is so full tonight.”
The woman smiled obligingly, “Yes sir?”
You leaned over whispering the name he had been given into the woman's ear . The waitress leaned back a moment later.
“Ahhh..yes” she replied, her expression unchanged, but You was sure he had seen another look cross her face, even if it had only been there for split second.
Disgust
“He's at the bar, sir.” She paused a moment, her smile looking distinctly forced. As if she had suddenly noticed a unpleasant smell, but was to polite to comment. “Is there anything else I can do for you sir?”
“No, thank you for your help.”
The woman bowed her head politely before turning on her heels and heading in the other direction as fast as her high heal clad feet could carry her.
Frowning at the womans reaction, You turned making his way towards the bar that sat against the far wall that made up the club's main room.
Only a few people sat along the long expanse of polished granite. The first few he passed by, dismissing them at first glance. A pair of well dressed business men in their early forties, a younger man in his twenties sporting a school boy's buzz cut. Totally wrong. The fourth one gave him pause. Dressed in tight fitting clothing, the tips of his hair died a bright red, this one looked like a slightly older, slightly better dressed version of the boys he had spoken to earlier in the day. But...hardly a figure that would strike fear or for that matter any other emotion in the heart of a hard boiled street kid.
He continued his leisurely stroll down the length of the bar, trying to look nonchalant, and then quite suddenly, as his eyes roamed across the space, You froze.
He was, he realized being watched by a pair of incredibly bright blue eyes.
His breath hitching in his throat, You stepped forward. His gaze was locked with that of the other man, who was watching him from under dark bangs, his large glossy lips tracing the edge of the glass that he had paused in raising to his mouth.
This was the man he was looking for.
The blue eyed man continued to watch him with unabashed interest, as You drew near to him, stopping a few feet from where the man sat. You cleared his throat, praying as he took in the mans incredibly long, leather clad legs, that he was about to pronounce the name he had been given correctly.
“Gackt?”
The man arched a perfectly trimmed eyebrow, his silver earrings swinging crazily as he cocked his head to one side. He remained silent a moment longer, his bright eyes tracing up the length of You's body, in a way that made the detective's skin crawl. Then finally, he lowered the glass from his lips, setting it down with careless 'thwack' on the polished stone of the bar.
“Yes?” The voice that emerged from those large lips was surprisingly deep.
You cleared his throat once more, “You are, Gackt? Correct?”
The man's mouth curved into a slight smile, revealing a flash of perfect white teeth.
“Yes I am...and just what can I do for you, detective?”
next ⇒
_________________________________________
*Cough cough* Well then....
Frankly the idea came to me this morning, completely out of right field and refused to stop gnawing on my brain. So I sat down and did a bit of speed writing.
I'm not sure if this is even an interesting enough idea to keep going with...oh well! *shrugs*
If it amuses you, leave a comment. ^_^