Non-challenge: A Policeman's Tale (Day 36)
Title: A Policeman's Tale (Day 36)
Author: ytak
Word count: 1081
Rating (chapter): K (G)
Rating (whole story): T (PG-13)
Comments: I decided to take last week off because of Easter and my visiting Grandma. And this week I have been walloped by a cold. There is one other thing (personal) that has happened today and has pretty much sucked my desire to proof-read and edit this chapter. Those are my reasons for any errors (not making excuses, I could have written this earlier this week before everything happened). Hope it isn't too bad.
Other chapters can be read through here or here.
Day 36
I had some really bizarre dreams, Takagi thought, as he worked his way through a very late breakfast (most people would call it lunch), feeling better than he had in days. I just wish I could remember what they were about. He frowned. “They feel like they were important,” he sighed.
Idly, he considered his options. One, he could stay home another day. The inspector already assumed he was not coming in. Or, two, he could go in for a half day of work.
He picked at the leftovers, wishing that they had not eaten all the soup the night before. He would love to have some again. Fondly, he remembered how homemade soup usually tasted better after it had sat overnight in the fridge (and his mother's soup in particular).
Shaking his head to clear out the daydreams, he put his dishes in the sink and went to his room to change for work. He felt well enough that if he sat around the apartment all day, he would go stir crazy. So, work it was. It had to beat sitting around the apartment all day.
--
Takagi blinked and blinked again. The bullpen was nearly empty. In fact, when he first entered, he had stepped back out and read the room number just to see if he had entered the correct room. The inspector was gone and every desk was empty save one.
Shiratori was hunched over the inspector's desk, talking rapidly into the phone. After a few seconds, he hung up and let out a sigh. He turned to go back to his desk and stopped when he saw Takagi. He frowned as he said abruptly, “I thought you weren't coming in.”
Takagi shrugged as he moved to his desk, noting the additional forms it seemed to attract on his sick day. “I feel a lot better. Not one hundred percent but good enough to come in.” He nodded indicating the whole room, “Where is everyone?”
“Sick or out on a call,” Shiratori said, sitting at his desk but not turning back to the papers on it. “Almost everyone went to a karaoke bar after work last night and it seems that they got food poisoning from something there.”
Takagi blinked. “What'd they eat?” he asked as he absently flipped through the new papers on his desk.
“I wouldn't know,” Shiratori admitted, “I had prior obligations and was unable to attend.” Another sigh escaped, “And with the current case, the inspector wanted every healthy body that could be spared out on the street. With any luck, it will be wrapped up before the end of the day instead of dragging on.”
He noticed Takagi's blank expression. “You do know about what happened this morning, right?”
Takagi shook his head, “I haven't watched the news in days and I didn't get up until late. So, I don't know what's going on.”
Shiratori shook his head, “You really need to keep up with current events.”
Excuse me! thought Takagi, Not everyone has you iron discipline to put aside misery and keep up with everything.
Shiratori explained, “First, there was the bomb threat. Most of the people who came in today are working investigating that. Everyone investigating that is in one of special investigation rooms. It looks like it is a hoax but, well,...” he shrugged indicating that he was not so sure. “Then there was some sort of attack on a bus. The few officers who aren't working on either of those cases are investigating smaller incidents that have come up or are trying to get all their paperwork filed.”
“Leaving you to mind the shop?” Takagi said, holding in his amusement.
“Yes,” Shiratori said, curtly. “But now that your here, regulations are satisfied.”
Takagi gave him a questioning look. “I was wondering where the other guy was. There should always be two officers present.” Shiratori looked annoyed. Takagi found himself grinning a little, “Let me guess, he went home sick?”
To Takagi's bemusement, Shiratori actually dropped his head to the desk. He could nearly see the annoyance and frustration roll off the other man. He rapidly got up from the desk when the phone on Megure's desk rang. Takagi listened but found that the half of the conversation he was hearing was not particularly enlightening. At one point, Takagi swore that Shiratori snorted with amusement. Or, he would have, if it were any other person than Shiratori. He was too dignified to snort when amused.
Shiratori returned to his desk, his face looked delibrately composed. He eyed Takagi. "Better hope we don't get anymore calls," he said, fixing Takagi with his eyes. "You still don't look well enough to respond to a call. I'd rather not cause you to have a relapse." Takagi could almost hear him add, And I want to cover my own hide. If you get sick again because I took you out on a call, I'll be the one to get in trouble since I'm your superior and should know better.
Takagi shrugged, “If we do, I will deal with it. I do feel much better,” and turned back to the paperwork that had accumulated on his desk. The next half hour or so passed quietly with only the sound of pens moving across paper and the shuffling of those papers.
The door to the office slid open startling both the officers. In trudged a number of tired looking detectives as they stumbled to their desks. More than a few looked like they had been rolling around in a garbage bin.
Takagi opened his mouth to ask when one (hard to tell under the muck who he was) interrupted, “Don't ask. Please, just don't ask. You'll probably find out soon enough.”
There was muttering from the group, “Showers or reports first?”
“You heard the inspector and superintendent! Reports first!” which was accompanied by groans all around.
Takagi held his tongue and looked over at Shiratori.... who looked liked he trying to not laugh. Maybe that is what he was talking on the phone about? Takagi considered as he turned his attention back to the papers on his desk, trying to ignore the smell that was now beginning to spread through the office.
A little while later, Sato, Chiba and a few others showed up. They began to mercilessly rib those that reeked. Takagi listened close and found that it too all his self control not to laugh. I'll have to get the details later from her!