Sato stood frozen for a moment, the sounds of the bustling street blurring into a background hum. The adrenaline coursed through him like fire, his heart racing as he took in the throngs of people around him. Hana had slipped away again, and every second counted.
“Where did she go?” he muttered under his breath, scanning the crowd, his mind racing. She was slippery, and she knew how to blend in. “Damn it, I can’t let her get away!”
“Sir!” an officer called out, running up to him, breathless. “We’ve secured the exits. No one’s leaving this area without us knowing. What do you want to do?”
“Keep searching the crowd,” Sato ordered, his voice steady despite the chaos swirling inside him. “Split up and look for anyone acting suspiciously. We can’t underestimate her.”
The officer nodded, rushing back into the fray. Sato pushed forward, weaving through the crowd, his instincts on high alert. Every face he passed could potentially be Hana’s—every nervous glance, every whispered conversation.
As he moved deeper into the street, he caught sight of Yamamoto approaching, determination etched across his features. “Sato! I’ve got more units coming in, but we need a plan. If we don’t corner her now, she’ll vanish.”
Sato rubbed the back of his neck, frustration simmering. “I know. It’s like she’s playing a game with us. She thrives on this chaos. We need to outsmart her.”
“Agreed,” Yamamoto replied, glancing around. “But how? She’s already proven she’s one step ahead.”
“We need to create a distraction,” Sato suggested, a plan forming in his mind. “Something big that’ll draw her out into the open. If we can create a diversion, we might just catch her off guard.”
Yamamoto nodded, considering the idea. “What do you have in mind?”
“Let’s stage an arrest. We can set up a couple of our officers to pretend to apprehend someone in the crowd. If she’s watching, she’ll think she has an opportunity to strike,” Sato explained, his mind racing with possibilities.
“I like it. But we’ll need to make sure it’s convincing,” Yamamoto replied. “We can’t risk her figuring it out too soon.”
Sato smiled grimly, feeling a surge of confidence. “Leave that to me. I’ll make it as dramatic as possible.”
As they hurried to coordinate the plan, Sato spotted a couple of officers across the street. “Hey!” he called out, waving them over. “We need your help with a little setup.”
They approached, curiosity mingling with urgency. “What’s going on, Sato?”
“We’re staging a fake arrest. We need to make it look convincing enough to draw Hana out. Can you help?”
“Sure thing! Just give us the details,” one officer replied, already ready to spring into action.
“Alright,” Sato said, outlining the plan as quickly as he could. “You’ll act like you’re apprehending someone—a random bystander. Make it loud. Get some attention. If Hana’s nearby, she won’t be able to resist.”
With the officers nodding in agreement, Sato turned back to Yamamoto. “Let’s move. The longer we wait, the better her chances of slipping away.”
As they hurried into position, Sato felt the tension coiling in his stomach. He knew this was a risk, but it was one they had to take. They had to be bold if they wanted to catch Hana before she could kill again.
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Once they were set, Sato signaled for the officers to get into character. The two officers approached a young man who was completely unaware of the unfolding plan. “Hey, you!” one of them shouted, grabbing the young man’s arm. “You’re under arrest!”
The young man’s eyes widened in surprise. “What? For what?”
“Disorderly conduct! You think you can just hang around here?” the officer barked, his tone intentionally exaggerated.
People around them turned, eyes widening as they began to murmur. Sato felt a thrill of anticipation; this was exactly the kind of scene that would draw Hana’s attention.
Yamamoto kept watch, nodding to Sato. “This is good. We just need to hold the attention.”
Sato's eyes flickered across the crowd, searching for any sign of Hana. “Where are you?” he muttered under his breath.
Just then, a commotion erupted to their left. A group of onlookers gasped, pointing. “Look!” someone shouted. “Isn’t that her?”
Sato’s heart raced. “What? Where?” He turned, scanning the crowd. It was chaos, people pushing to get a better view of the drama unfolding.
Then he saw her—a flash of familiar hair weaving through the crowd, her expression fierce and determined. She was headed straight for the officers.
“Yamamoto!” Sato shouted, adrenaline surging. “She’s here!”
Yamamoto’s gaze snapped toward Hana. “Get ready!”
Hana pushed through the crowd, her eyes narrowed in on the commotion. Sato could see the gears turning in her mind, the way she was assessing the situation.
“Just a little closer…” Sato whispered, his heart pounding as he braced himself.
“Let me go!” Hana yelled, her voice dripping with indignation as she charged forward. “You don’t have the right to arrest anyone!”
Sato could feel the tension in the air crackle as Hana’s presence shifted the atmosphere entirely. People were now watching her intently, caught between fear and curiosity.
“Now!” Yamamoto shouted, and the officers surrounding the young man took a step back, feigning confusion. “We have a situation!”
Hana’s eyes darted from the officers to the young man. “What’s going on? Why are you letting him go?”
Sato seized the moment. “Hana!” he called out, stepping forward, his voice steady. “You need to stop this. We know what you’re planning.”
She froze, surprise flashing across her features before it was replaced by that familiar glint of madness. “You think you can intimidate me with words? You don’t know me at all!”
“I know you’re a killer,” Sato shot back, voice firm. “And you’re about to make a mistake.”
A ripple of gasps coursed through the crowd as they began to realize who she was. Panic set in, and Sato could see people edging away, instinctively moving back from the confrontation.
“I’m not afraid of you!” Hana snarled, raising her chin defiantly. “You’re nothing but a puppet! You can’t control me!”
Sato took a step closer, heart racing. “This doesn’t have to end badly, Hana. You can still turn back. Help us stop the chaos you’ve started.”
“Help you?” she laughed bitterly. “You think I want to help you? I’m not interested in your pathetic little games. I’m here for something much bigger!”
Suddenly, Sato caught movement out of the corner of his eye—two officers were closing in behind her, positioning themselves. “Hana!” he shouted. “You’re surrounded!”
Her expression shifted, realizing the trap was tightening. “No! You think you can outsmart me? You have no idea what I’m capable of!”
She turned to run, but Sato lunged, grabbing her wrist. “Hana, stop!”
With a furious twist, she tried to break free. “Let go of me, you idiot!” she screamed, her voice piercing the air.
Sato tightened his grip, adrenaline surging. “You need to come with us, Hana. It’s over!”
But just then, Hana’s eyes widened, and she turned abruptly, her gaze fixating on something behind Sato. “You think this is over?” she spat, her voice laced with venom.
Before he could process what was happening, a loud explosion echoed through the street, followed by a blinding flash of light. The crowd erupted into chaos, screams filling the air as people fled in every direction.
Sato staggered back, instinctively shielding his eyes from the debris that rained down. “What the hell?” he shouted, trying to regain his bearings.
“Hana!” he yelled, searching for her in the mayhem. But she had vanished amidst the confusion, slipping away yet again.
As the dust settled, Sato's heart sank. This wasn’t just a game anymore; it was a declaration of war. And he was losing.
“Yamamoto!” he shouted, but the commotion drowned his voice. Panic washed over him as he frantically searched for his partner, knowing that they were in deeper trouble than ever before. The fight wasn’t over; it had only just begun.