It started, just like any other day…

…

The bright, morning light glaring through the curtains. The anxiety stirring noise of my morning alarm screaming for the third time. None of this was news to me, although I still woke as if my five hours of pure nothingness had come to an abrupt halt. Shoma Nakamura, detective for the city of Circuit Haven, just another working drone trying to live in this cesspool of a city. That's who I am.

I begrudgingly slip out of bed with leaden steps whilst I trudge along to continue my morning routine and light the first of many rettes (cigarettes) for the day. My morning consists of three rettes and a scolding mug of joe, some call it the breakfast of champions, I call it weekday mornings. While partaking in my incessant regimen, patiently waiting for the coffee to brew, I get a call out of nowhere.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

It’s from the chief.

I picked up my headset laboriously, wondering what useless tasks he had for me today. I slowly slid the tech over my head to try and extend my alone time. Considering the pedestrian work he’s had me doing for the past week, one can only assume that my day was going to contain the same pleasures I’ve been enduring thus far.

I answered slowly. Before the screen could even render, I heard the ear deafening sounds of sirens that could only point to this day not being like the week prior.

“Nakamura…”

“Chief! Nice of you to call… what is it this time? Grandma Reed lose her earrings again?”

“Shoma… I need you down at 45th street… Bring your badge.” The chief would never call me by my first name, and the words he said were in a hushed tone I’ve only ever heard sparingly. This must’ve been something big.

I exhaled loudly, leaving almost no room for my response. “Fine. But you owe me a coffee.”

“It’s waiting for you at the diner next to the scene, Joanne’s never disappoints. Better hurry before it gets cold.” He ended the call before I could even look at the screen.

Short and sweet, Chief Tenzo’s specialty.