15th March, 5:19 PM
"I'll be back with some snacks," Manabu said as he headed out. Inside, Mion and the others were engrossed in a game of cards when the doorbell rang. Mion opened the gate to find a police officer and a detective standing there.
"Good morning, I am Morgan. It's a pleasure to meet you," the detective said.
At 3:40 PM
Travis Carter, a police officer, had been summoned by a woman who reported multiple dead bodies in her apartment. As Travis investigated, the landlord mentioned that she had been away for a few days. Upon returning, she was informed by other tenants about a foul odor coming from a neighboring unit. The subsequent search revealed that the former occupants had been brutally murdered.
Travis asked if there were any CCTV cameras in the building. The landlord replied that there were, but the footage was unclear. Travis reviewed the video and saw that two men had brought a girl with pink hair and two other girls into the apartment. The footage showed that these men had been killed two days ago. The girl with pink hair, along with the other two girls, had arrived five days prior and had not left.
Based on the evidence and the state of the room, Travis concluded that the men were harassers who had abused the girls. The last girl, in a desperate bid to defend herself, had killed the men and escaped with the other two. "Don't worry, old lady," Travis assured, "We'll find those girls soon."
Stepping outside for a smoke,But someone snatched the cigarette from his hand.
"It's been a while, Officer Travis," Morgan said.
Travis was delighted to see Morgan, who he hadn't met since he was a child. Morgan asked for a lighter and inquired about the case. Travis explained that the men had been killed and that it seemed justified. Morgan asked how he could be so sure it was self-defense. Travis retorted, "Why would a young woman willingly enter a tiger's den?" Morgan responded that it was possible, but Travis asked why he was there.
Morgan revealed he had joined the department and was moving to America permanently with his mother. Travis was happy to hear that Morgan would be working with him, though Morgan was now in a higher position. Morgan laughed and went inside the apartment. As soon as he stepped in, he said, "It's not self-defense; it's straight-up murder."
Travis was taken aback. "What makes you so sure?" he asked.
Morgan asked to see the footage again. As he watched, he used his deductive skills and intuition.
"First, the two women clearly didn't know what was going to happen to them. Fear is evident in their hesitant behavior. They were likely under pressure or in a tough situation. The third girl, with the pink hair, is not terrified at all. She appears angry but is trying to control her emotions. She seems to be in a hurry, as if she wants to clarify something. Maybe she wanted to confirm if those men had assaulted unarmed women. Notice her grip when she opens the gate—she's clearly angry. She saw the girls in a horrible situation."
Morgan pretended to be the girl, using his sixth sense:
"I am the person who will kill them. I'm here with a purpose, and I must act quickly before something worse happens. When the gate opens, I see two girls, naked and in bad shape. The man handcuffed and abused them. I'll do the same to him but remain calm for now. I must let them make their move. They've locked the door from the inside—no one must escape. The environment is crucial. There's a knife, drugs, alcohol, and bottles. With my strength, I can handle at least two of them. I need to distract one and take out the others quickly."
Morgan continued:
"The best option is to use alcohol as a distraction. I'll throw it in their eyes and then use the bottle to smash the strongest one. The body examination showed detergent on them, indicating extreme pain. They were drugged to cause a mix of horrible feelings. I'll take the knife and attack the third guy until the second one gets up. I'll cut his wrist to numb him. The third one will either fight back or try to escape, but I must not let him out. I'll throw the knife with precise aim and then beat them into a pulp. Finally, the boss, already high on drugs and alcohol, will receive the worst beating. The girl was fueled by rage and justice, as if she hated injustice from her core. She freed the girls and then tortured the men until they died."
Travis was stunned, his jaw hanging open. "What the hell?" he exclaimed.
Travis asked if Morgan was sure about his analysis. Morgan assured him it was accurate. "It's easy. When the pink-haired girl left with the others, she had a proud look on her face. Most criminals who believe their actions are justified think they've delivered justice. I know those men deserved it, but there are other ways to handle such situations. We need to find her."
Travis asked his team to search for the girl. He then asked Morgan why he was there. Morgan explained he was initially there for a festival, but it had been postponed. He accompanied Travis to a store where the shopkeeper revealed that the girl, named Sayuri, was a regular customer.
"Yes, she's from Japan," the shopkeeper confirmed. "She's sweet and kind. What happened?"
Morgan replied, "It's none of your business. Just tell me everything you know about her."
The shopkeeper said Sayuri lived on the next street and frequently bought fish, meat, and vegetables. The officer was adamant that she was innocent and pleaded with them not to hurt her. Travis warned the shopkeeper not to interfere and walked away with Morgan. They encountered Manabu, who was on his way somewhere.
Morgan noticed Manabu's white hair and mentioned it. Travis called out, "What?!"
Morgan apologized and rang the bell at Manabu's house. Morgan and Travis were there to arrest Mion. Mion was visibly uncomfortable, and Mai emerged to ask what was going on. Travis explained that they were there to arrest Mion on murder charges, and they had proof.
Taiju became angry and demanded proof. Mion confessed to killing the three men and said she was ready to face the consequences. Morgan, seemingly satisfied, declared, "I told you she was fully aware of what she was doing!"
Manabu returned to find Maria stressed. Taiju informed him that Mion had been arrested for murder, and they needed to go to the police station to help her. They rushed to the station.
During Mion's questioning, she provided details about the girls and the events. Morgan remarked that Mion had been seeking justice. Travis, frustrated, punched Morgan in the stomach and whispered, "Don't say things so loudly. How many times do I have to tell you?"
Morgan apologized. When Manabu arrived at the station, he was introduced to Morgan. "Your white hair is striking," Morgan said. "I'm Detective Morgan."
Manabu introduced himself as Satoshi Manabu. Morgan paused. "Manabu? Satoshi Manabu?"
Travis interrupted, asking what had happened. Manabu explained that Mion had no ill intentions; she couldn't stand seeing people who harm the helpless and weak. Morgan informed Manabu that the two girls and their families were coming for their statements, and assured him that everything would be alright.
Morgan then asked Manabu if he had a sister. Manabu replied that he did. Morgan hesitated but wanted to ask more. He learned that Manabu was a student at Imagineers Academy studying criminology and introduced his friends. Mion wanted to be a painter and was planning to drop out of school. They discussed a school event that had been postponed due to recent terrorism threats.
The two girls arrived with their families and provided their statements, exonerating Mion. Travis decided to dismiss the case as self-defense. The girls cried in Mion's arms, and their families thanked her for saving them.
Suddenly, Mr. Kami arrived at the police station with Maria. Everyone, including Morgan, was stunned. "Huh! Mr. Kami?!" Morgan exclaimed.
Kami came to ensure Mion's release, confirming that the case was dismissed. He said Mion had done nothing wrong. Morgan was silent, but after Kami left, it was already 9 PM. Morgan returned home, where his mother called him for dinner. While eating, Morgan's mother asked what was wrong, but he didn't respond and finished his meal.
In his room, Morgan thought about the revelations:
*My mother isn't my biological mother. My biological mother died when I was around 14 or 16. My aunt raised me, so I started calling her Mom. During the war in Japan, her child and husband were missing, No contact, No hope. I thought they were dead, but Manabu and Others survived and in Amarica, Right here.....
Fifteen years ago
Ms. Kana Valentine had come to Japan with her child and mother. I used to play with her kids, Manabu and Maria, and I was like their big brother. During the civil unrest in Japan, Ms. Valentine was caught in the turmoil. Despite my family's efforts to protect them, we were betrayed by someone we trusted. We lost track of them and thought they were dead. I didn't know they were still alive.
"I wanted to tell her the truth, but I feared she might leave me once she found her real family. It's selfish, I know, but she's my mother too. Manabu has his father and sister, while I feel I have nothing. I know I'm being selfish, but... I can't—I cant effort to lose more people I love..."
To be continued...