But it would be difficult for him to keep this from her. 'I don't like keeping secrets from Ki.' Ever since he reunited with her, Mamoru has ensured that he tells her everything.
The people around Ki keep secrets from her to protect her, and he does understand them. Sometimes there are things he would rather not share with her. For example, the topic surrounding power users.
The reason why the number of delinquents has increased to the point that police can no longer stop them is due to the power users. Many individuals are coming forth with strange otherworldly powers that do not belong to this world.
Further investigations suggest that these people all have something in common. Their 'genes' have evolved, which has led to having an ability.
His ability is sound. People consider it the strongest, but he thinks Ki's flames are more powerful. Either way, the two of them belong to the power user side.
It is normal for her to investigate this case. 'I am not happy that Aki just gave it to her without telling me, though.' She would have done this alone if it were not for his careless attitude of accepting cheap jobs.
"Sure. Are we still going to the orphanage tomorrow?"
"Yes, so please don't be late." Sumire trailed off. "Hey Ru, why do you think anybody would steal the body parts of a dead person?"
"For the same reason, people donate organs, except they will use it for questionable purposes. People donate their organs and become an organ donor with the hopes of saving people. But this is a serial killer we are talking about."
"Ah, he took them for the opposite reason."
Mamoru nodded. "He intends to do something with these organs to cause people to fall into despair."
As for what that something is, he can guess. The existence of power users is slowly getting revealed to the public. Out of the many organizations learning of their existence, some hostile ones are. Some wish to conduct human experiments on the power users.
Mamoru clenched his fist at the memory of the laboratory he saw the other day.
He had to stop himself from punching the client and tour guide.
Did they request that job from him because they knew he was a power user? If so, they are one sick and twisted group.
"Perhaps he intends to create power users?"
"What makes you think so?" Mamoru felt his heartbeat increase.
This girl is far too sharp; she only just received the job yesterday. She barely has any information, but she figured this all out?
"I mean, when I was visiting the crime scene yesterday, I figured it out. The victim was frequently in contact with one person, and it seems like they actually made arrangements to donate their organs. The victim probably didn't think the other person would turn around and murder them after receiving their consent." Sumire paused. "-unless they had a dispute of some kind? Like he couldn't keep his end of the bargain and angered the criminal."
At those words, Mamoru looked at her with wide eyes. He hasn't read the recent report yet, but Sumire is most likely correct. This way of sharp thinking despite only seeing the crime scene once.
'She resembles Yuhi when she is like this.' Maybe it's because the two worked together as partners for a year. But their way of thinking and solving crimes has become similar.
He remembers when Yuhi was here, Ki always mentioned to him how much she looked up to him and wanted to be like him. So she worked very hard. Before anybody knew it, those two were not master and subordinate but partners.
"If that's true, once we identify the mastermind, we need to check the security surveillance all over town. Once we do that, we can identify who he made contact with."
Sumire nodded. "Right. Unfortunately, however, there is no trace of this guy."
"No trace?"
"Do you know about the new apartment blocks in the north?"
"The ones with the high-tech security-" Mamoru paused. "Don't tell me it happened there."
"Yes."
Mamoru frowned. For it to take place in a place built for it's high-level security. "It's another power user."
"You think so, too, Ru?"
"Yes. The only way to evade camera's and guards like that is to use an ability. If it were a normal human, they would not be able to bypass that many levels of security without getting caught. But this crime occurred cleanly; nobody noticed till the next day, correct?"
"That's right. The police received the report late in the morning, but the actual crime took place at three am. At least nine hours went by before anybody actually made the report."
"Who discovered the body?"
"It was one of the neighbors. Her dog had been barking on stop all morning, and she could not calm him down. She thought he was ill and decided to head out to the vet. The moment they were outside, her dog practically led her to the crime scene. She immediately made the report once she smelled something rotting."
The bodies would have started to decay after nearly half a day. It is only natural. But if that lady did not make the report, then nobody would have noticed it until much later; how terrifying.
"Now, let's look at it like this, Ru. Why did nobody else go outside that morning?"
"Oh-"
Ki is right; it's odd. If it happened yesterday, it would have been Friday. Although there are many who work late on Fridays, but it's still a working day. The residents of that new place should mainly be students or people in their mid-thirties. It's unusual that nobody went out.
"So I looked around and found the reason why. There seemed to be a gas leak, and some pipes were broken. It seems like the entire building was in lockdown, and the residents received word to stay inside until everything was fixed."
"That's some elaborate serial killer."
To think he would go that far just to conceal his crime. The one who did it is most likely a member of that organization. That organization is targeting power users. They would act discreetly from the shadows in the past, but their recent movements are far too obvious.
It is almost like they are boldly committing crimes just to attract somebody's attention.