THE PRESENT:

Alister's cold, uncertain gaze pierced through Tatsumi for a moment.

"To-- to kill me?" He quietly asked. A piercing silence filled the lobby of the motel. Alister sighed.

"Yeah. A client told me there would be a considerable sum of cash for your life." The ashy-haired man stood up as he spoke, instilling an instinctual urge to retreat in Tatsumi.

"I don't think I'll be doing that, though. It seems that certain people are very eager to see you dead. Yet, you're the only key I have to understanding what's wrong with us." Alister stopped himself for a moment, contemplating.

"And, if we can work together, maybe we can figure out what's going on. We could help each other out." He continued, reaching his hand out to Tatsumi, crouching. The blonde gave a timid handshake to the the hitman.

"Then... what are we supposed to do..?" Tatsumi inquired.

"We'll have to find somebody who knows something about these.. strings." Alister said, with a blunt prose. He stared at his hand, bringing the silvered thread into focus.

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