~Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, Shinjuku Branch.
"What?" The voice of captain Takagi Haruto exclaimed. "There isn't a known cause for the fire?"
"Yes sir," Tachibana Aiko, a member of the team, but more of an office assistant responded, tucking her hair behind her ear which held thin square shaped glasses that complimented her round face. "Forensics came up with nothing that could have started the fire out in the middle of the street like that."
"That's not possible right?" Murakami Aikawa a field agent on the team queried, taking the tablet that held details of the incident on it from Aiko's grasp. "The fire was huge and even enveloped the armored transportation truck right?"
"It also burned the bodies of all the guards before we could get there," Daisuke Mizumi, the vice team captain and bomb specialist added, hovering over Aikawa's shoulder to look at the details as well. "And it was massive blue flames, there has to be something that started it right?"
"Barely even the bones of those guards remained," Watanabe Kenji, another field agent and a part of Takagi's team stated, rubbing his temples as he swiped over some photos of the scene. "There had to have been some sort of fire accelerant used."
"But the forensics still picked up nothing," Aiko said with a sigh, understanding their frustration.
"And it didn't help that that H.I.R.E firm wouldn't let us get even an inch closer to the scene," Ito Itsuki, the team's sniper remarked, placing his hands behind his head and easing into his chair.
"Yeah what are those guys anyway?" Aikawa asked, handing the tablet over to Haruto and settling into his seat, with the back rest facing his front so he sat with his arms and chin rested on the top.
"Aren't they a private security firm or something?" Kenji answered, not sure of their persona either.
"Why would headquarters rely on the aid of a private firm to transport a criminal?" Hideoshi Morrow, the newest member of the team muttered to himself under his breath.
"What?" Haruto asked after hearing only a bit of what he muttered.
"Hm?" Hideoshi hummed, leaving his train of thought. "Ah, I was just wondering, the armored vehicle was used to transport a criminal, is that correct?"
"Uh... yeah," Aiko answered, still not used to his perfect pronunciations. He had blonde hair and light green eyes with a beauty mark under his right eye, and his skin was as pale as snow, yet he spoke Japanese so fluently. It was easy to forget that he was the only detective in the branch who insisted on writing his first name before his last because it sounded too awkward otherwise. He also preferred it when people called his first name rather than calling and mispronouncing 'Morrow'. He felt just being called Hideoshi would suffice and thought the Japanese were just too polite for their own good.
"Are there any records of the criminal that was being transported?" He continued, now placing his hand on his chin as his thoughts filled his mind.
"Actually, now that you mention it," She started, quickly swiping through pages of information. "There isn't any mention of the criminal they were transporting in the information that was handed to us."
"Why would they conveniently leave that out when there is a huge possibility this criminal may have escaped?" Hideoshi mumbled, letting out a silent sigh. He was starting to hold this so called security firm, 'H.I.R.E' in a whole new level of contempt now. He felt that something wasn't right, and with good reason. A large amount of information that should have been shared with the police was held back in the name of private confidentiality. "Something's wrong."
"Do you think the fire was intended as a distraction so the criminal could escape?" Aikawa asked, looking over the general information available on the room's screen.
"It's possible," Mizumi replied, resting his head on his palm.
"Then that would mean he had an accomplice," Kenji added.
"Or multiple accomplices," Itsuki retorted with a scoff of frustration.
"First we have to find out how that fire started," Haruto sighed as he relaxed in his seat while sipping on the cold coffee he had poured about half an hour ago and had let sit out. It was a habit of his now. He didn't like it when his coffee was too hot, but always ended up leaving it to sit out for too long and would be forced to drink it too cold. "If we find out the cause we may have something to trace back."
"Yes sir," Aiko responded, and immediately left with her assignment.
"Mizumi," He continued after forcing the cold drink down his throat. "I want you to find out why those guys at H.I.R.E are being so private about the criminal's information and the case as a whole."
"Yes sir,"
"Aikawa and Kenji, you two can contact headquarters and try to get that information straight from them," He said, using his fingers to tap slightly on his forehead. "Find out why they had a private security firm transport the criminal in the first place as well if you can, although I doubt you'll have much luck with those tight-lipped bastards."
"On it sir!"
"Itsuki and Minami, I don't care what sort of tape they have around the scene, try to get as close and obtain as much information as you possibly can."
"Understood sir!"
"Hideoshi," He called, getting up from his seat and stretching a bit before putting on the black work suit he had hung around his chair. "You and I will head to the coroner's office, and then stop by forensics' to see what information we can obtain from the burnt bodies of the guards left at the scene."
Hideoshi answered with a simple nod and followed behind him as the team scattered to tackle their various assignments. Unknown to them that the secrets this case entangled with, ran deeper than they had assumed, and was more vast than their sense of reasoning could handle. Plus, this was only the beginning.
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