The police car sped down the darkened streets, the flashing red and blue lights reflecting off the rain-slick pavement. Mako sat in the back seat, the cold metal of the handcuffs digging into her wrists, but her expression remained defiant. She leaned back against the seat, watching the city blur past, her thoughts racing faster than the car.
The officer driving glanced at her in the rearview mirror. "You know," he said, breaking the silence, "not many people admit to hitting someone like that. You got a death wish, or are you just trying to be a hero?"
Mako met his gaze in the mirror, her lips curling into a sarcastic smile. "Oh, absolutely. I dream of being a hero. It's my lifelong ambition," she drawled. "Or maybe I'm just too tired to listen to my coward of a boyfriend whine anymore. Did you see him practically wet himself back there?"
The officer chuckled, but the other officer, a stern-looking woman in the passenger seat, wasn't amused. "This isn't a joke, ma'am. You're facing serious charges."
Mako rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I got it. Serious charges. Grave consequences. I've heard the speech before. You guys really need to get some new material."
The female officer turned around, her eyes narrowing. "Maybe you should take this seriously. A man's life could be hanging in the balance. If that person you hit doesn't make it, you'll be looking at more than just a reckless driving charge."
For a brief moment, Mako's bravado wavered, but she quickly masked it with a scoff. "Look, I'm not saying I'm innocent. But I'm definitely not taking all the blame for this. If you're looking for a villain, you might want to start with the guy who threw me under the bus without blinking."
The male officer chuckled again. "Guess he wasn't much of a man, huh?"
Mako's smile faded into a more genuine expression of disdain. "Not even close," she muttered.
The female officer turned back around, clearly done with the conversation. The car was silent for a few moments, save for the radio static and the distant sounds of the city at night. Mako's mind wandered back to Ryo, back to that panicked look on his face, the way his voice cracked when he'd pleaded with her to take the fall.
"Why did I even waste my time on him?" she whispered to herself, almost too quietly for anyone else to hear.
But the male officer heard. "You got a lot of anger there, don't you?" he said softly. "Maybe you should think about why that is."
Mako shot him a sharp look. "Oh, thanks, officer. Didn't realize I was getting a therapy session along with the cuffs. Maybe I'm angry because I've spent my whole life cleaning up other people's messes. Or maybe I'm just tired of pretending to be the nice girl everyone expects me to be. You ever think of that?"
He nodded thoughtfully. "Fair point. But just so you know, anger doesn't solve anything. It just eats you alive."
She smirked. "Yeah, well, if I get a life sentence, I guess I'll have plenty of time for it to do that."
The female officer clicked her tongue impatiently. "Enough, already. Save it for the judge, lady."
Mako sighed and leaned back against the seat, closing her eyes. "Trust me, officer. I've got plenty saved up for him."
The rest of the drive was quiet, the tension thick in the air. Mako could feel the weight of what lay ahead settling in, but she pushed the thought aside. She'd been in tight spots before, and she wasn't about to let this one break her. She wasn't going to let Ryo win like this. Not without a fight.
---
The police station was bustling with activity when they arrived. The fluorescent lights cast a harsh glow over everything, making the world feel sharp and unforgiving. Mako was led through the station, the officers guiding her firmly but not roughly. She kept her head high, her eyes scanning the room, taking in every detail.
They led her to a small, dimly lit interrogation room and sat her down at a metal table. The female officer uncuffed her, but her eyes never left Mako's face, as if expecting her to bolt.
"Sit tight," she said curtly. "Detective will be in to speak with you shortly."
Mako watched her leave, then glanced around the room. The walls were a dull, institutional gray, and a flickering fluorescent bulb buzzed overhead. She drummed her fingers on the table, impatience growing with each passing second.
Minutes later, a tall man with a tired expression entered the room. He had a thick file in his hand, and he didn't waste any time getting to the point. "Mako Ishida, correct?"
"Wow, you got it right on the first try," Mako said, her voice heavy with sarcasm. "Do I get a prize?"
The detective didn't smile. "Look, Ms. Ishida, we have witnesses who saw what happened. We know you were driving, but there's a lot that doesn't add up. So why don't you save yourself some trouble and tell us what really happened?"
Mako leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "What do you mean, doesn't add up? I hit someone, end of story. You guys figure out the rest. That's your job, right?"
The detective raised an eyebrow. "I mean, why did your boyfriend immediately throw you under the bus? Why do we have conflicting reports from witnesses saying it looked like there was an argument happening before the collision?"
Mako's eyes narrowed. "Look, Detective, my boyfriend's a snake, alright? He was scared and he panicked. As for an argument, yeah, we were fighting. About the music. About the direction. About everything, really. It's not exactly a new thing."
The detective nodded slowly, seeming to process her words. "Alright. But you seem awfully calm for someone who just hit a pedestrian."
Mako laughed, a hollow sound. "Trust me, I'm not calm. I'm just too angry to freak out right now. Besides, you seem like the kind of guy who'd enjoy a freakout."
The detective allowed a small smile to tug at his lips. "Fair enough. But I still need the truth. All of it."
Mako took a deep breath. "Fine. Here's the truth. Ryo's a coward, I'm not. He panicked, I didn't. He wants me to take the blame, and I'm not willing to just roll over and let him get away with it."
The detective nodded. "Alright. I'll be back. Don't go anywhere."
He stood up and left the room, leaving Mako alone with her thoughts. She could feel her frustration simmering beneath the surface, but she forced herself to remain calm. She knew she'd have to play this smart if she wanted to come out on top.
---
Back outside the room, Ryo sat in another part of the station, biting his nails nervously. He glanced around, his eyes darting to every officer that walked by. His leg bounced with nervous energy, and he kept whispering to himself. "Come on, Mako... don't screw this up for us."
But he knew, deep down, that she wasn't going to take the fall easily. And that thought terrified him.
Back in the room, Mako smirked to herself. "You better start running, Ryo," she whispered under her breath. "Because once I'm out of here, I'm coming for you."
She wasn't going to let anyone pin her down—not the cops, not Ryo, not anyone. This was just another fight, another obstacle, and Mako Ishida wasn't one to back down from a fight. Not now. Not ever.
And as she sat there, plotting her next move, she knew that this was far from over.
---