“And this is probably gonna sound odd, but I don't suppose you've been cooperating much with the San Francisco PD about the body that was found in the woods recently?” Atreus asks, trying to delicately ask if his guest had connected the two crimes yet. If not, the gangster hopes to spark some curiosity and hopefully push Colter's investigation in that direction. “I saw the news about it a few days back, and though I don't have any hard evidence, I have a gut feeling it's related to Camlin's murder too.”
“Actually, yes, we we did look into it,” Terrence casually reveals. “I also got curious after news broke that the body was found – Isaac Noah, I think his name was. I sent an inquiry to the SFPD, and was able to get my hands on the autopsy report.”
“What did it say?”
“It seems Mr. Noah was killed in a similar manner as Camlin was: two bullets to the chest, one to the head. However, it seems they were killed using different types of ammunition. Noah was struck by normal 9mm rounds that gave him clean entry and exit wounds, but Camlin?” The detective shakes his head, remembering the details of Will's autopsy. “He was hit with a special variant that just... really tore up his insides, especially his heart and lungs. I imagine he died instantly, or at least I hope he did.”
“No kidding,” Atreus rubs his chin thoughtfully as he lets his gaze fall to his hardwood floor. Terrence's words are probably as much of a confirmation as he's going to receive regarding the relationship between the two murders. Edward's story about Isaac Noah being the catalyst that kicked the series of killings off seems to hold water. “But if there's a link there, then there might be some way that Zephir might be involved in this too.”
“I can see your train of thought, but we don't have anything that could suggest it right now,” Terrence interjects. “Don't go off into conspiracy theories before you have something concrete in your hands. Besides, that's in San Francisco; nothing I can do about it.”
“Going back to Takiyama, since there's nothing solid to suggest he's the killer, would you need to arrest him if you find him?”
“He's a person of interest now due to being named specifically, but, as you say, we have nothing but that bogus tip to really pin him as a culprit. So, no, we wouldn't. I'd need to ask him a few questions though. Why?”
Atreus hesitates for a pronounced moment, considering how his guest would respond to the revelation that he spoke with Takiyama directly. He wishes to be as transparent and helpful as Terrence is being, if only to sway him away from suspecting the Sanada-gumi, but he isn't sure of what qualifies as 'interfering with police business.'
“I... spoke with him recently. I spoke with Takiyama. I found him by chance,” the gangster confesses with clear apprehension.
“Seriously?” Colter becomes wide-eyed, not expecting Atreus to make such a huge discovery before law enforcement could. “How? What did he say? Why is he hiding?”
“After some snooping around, I discovered a phone number that led me to him – a burner phone he's been using – and I was able to ask about his part in the murder.”
“And you're positive this is Takiyama?”
“Yes,” Atreus answers with a confident nod, though purposely avoiding to mention that they met up in person, and only hours prior to Terrence's visit. “He said he was the one who was supposed to meet up with Camlin in that alley, but the murderer got there first and killed him.”
“Meet up for what?” Colter starts to shift to a more assertive tone as he becomes increasingly attentive.
“Camlin was allegedly in possession of something that could prove Zephir Industries was partaking in illegal deals. And he acquired that information first from Isaac Noah.”
“What on earth?” Terrence is immediately struck dumb. “This is the first I've heard of any of this stuff. Granted, my knowledge of Noah's murder is limited simply because it's not my jurisdiction, but I never would've guessed any sort of corporate conspiracy going on involving Camlin. You sure Takiyama isn't pulling your leg?”
“I'm pretty sure. I don't think he has much to gain from lying about such a thing.”
“If Camlin has such important information, it's news to me. He didn't have anything on his body, nor did his own home have anything substantial. Maybe the killer took his belongings before high-tailing it.”
“Yeah, about that; Takiyama actually said he has the documents now.”
“What?” Terrence reels back again. “How?”
“Because he was there. Edward witnessed the murder. And after the killer left, he searched Camlin's body for a USB drive, which he found and took for himself.”
“You've got to me kidding me.” The detective grows irate, rubbing his forehead in disbelief. “Where is Takiyama? Why didn't he go to the police with all of this?”
“I don't know where he is, but he mentioned not going to the police because he's worried that the documents aren't concrete enough to find whoever's behind all of this to begin with. They implicate Zephir in bad practices, but they probably don't have enough information to reveal who they're doing it all for.”
“And what exactly are these 'practices'?”
“No idea. He said the USB drive is encrypted and he has no clue how to decrypt it. But I told him I know someone who can crack it open, so I'm working on getting my hands on it myself.”
“No. If Zephir is actually involved, along with some dangerous third party, then this is getting out of hand now,” Colter firmly interjects. “You need to tell me how to get into contact with Takiyama so we can put protect him.”
“What?!” Atreus immediately becomes bewildered and angry at the sudden demand. “You just told me to cooperate with you, and that's what I'm doing! Edward trusts me, and only me. The guy is paranoid that the killer's gonna knock on his front door any second now, and if a random cop calls him up, he's probably going to assume the worst – that you're either a fake or that you're corrupt.”
“Atreus, if all of this shit you just told me is true, then it's far too big for one person in the Sanada-gumi to handle. You realize how big of a company Zephir is, right?”
“Yeah, I'm aware. But I started my own investigation, and I'm going to finish it. I finally have a lead that's concrete after chasing flimsy shit for the last several days; I'm not going to just stop. If you want me to get you information, then I'll get it for you; I planned on meeting with him anyway. But I'm not just giving up. You said you wanted cooperation, and this is me cooperating.”
“You can't protect Takiyama on your own. If he's truly in possession of something that could incriminate a multi-national, multi-billion dollar pharma corporation that's willing to hire a killer to clean their mess, then he needs to be kept safe while we look into things.”
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“While you look into things?” Atreus echoes, mockingly. “Don't pretend you have power in this, either. Just because you might have the USB drive in your hand doesn't mean the fucking murderer is in custody. Maybe you should handle finding the guy who put bullets into three people, and I'll handle getting information from Ed. How about that?”
Colter heaves a long, exhausted sigh. “You're killing me here, Atreus,” he hangs his head and shakes it as he meditates on the metaphorical wall he's run into. He eventually brings his eyes back up to give a stern, almost threatening leer to his host. “I'm not sure if I buy into this corporate corruption stuff just yet, especially if these 'documents' still haven't even been decrypted, but if it's all true, then it could be bigger than you, me, or the entire Sanada-gumi.”
“Like I said,” the gangster gives an equally resolute glare of his own, “I'm aware.”
“The killer's probably aware of you, Atreus. And what are you going to do if he comes to you? You're just gonna sit down with him and have a cup of tea? You gonna kill him yourself? Then what if they send a second person?”
“Now you're just being paranoid,” Atreus waves off the comments. “Edward's been just fine since the night of the murder. He's on edge, yeah, but he's safe – in a place the killer likely doesn't know about. If anything, pulling him out and putting him under 'protective custody' or some bullshit might just put a big fucking bullseye on his back. All that shit aside, he only trusts me. Like I said, if anything about our plan to meet up goes astray, he's going to assume the worst. So just do me a favor and back off. If I learn anything important, I'll relay to you.”
Colter sighs again. “You're being pretty damn stubborn despite what I just told you about interfering with police work,” he states with a tired voice.
“Don't give me that shit. I don't owe you this information, but I gave it to you on a silver platter, simply because I'm trying to be nice and cooperate like you asked me to. You know damn well you wouldn't have gotten in touch with Takiyama in a timely manner on your own. If I weren't doing my own investigation, he probably would be dead by the time you found him – killer probably would've made it look like a suicide or something, too.”
“Maybe so. But these murders are starting to become linked to each other and other entities in a strange web we don't see the end of yet. Zephir being allegedly involved is one thing, but if the third party they're cutting these shady deals with exists, then they must be pretty damn influential to have such a big corporation under their thumb.”
“That's why I need more information. Just because I might have documents doesn't mean the killer or whoever Zephir is dealing with are identified. I'll probably find out once I get my hands on that USB drive. Okay? Is this conversation done now?”
“I suppose it is,” the detective answers with a shrug, knowing that the clan member won't be budging anytime soon. “At least until you open that USB drive. I'm expecting you to give me a call when you've done so. You still have my personal number, right?”
“Yeah, I do. Unfortunately.”
“You're really sour every time I try to talk to you, aren't you?” Terrence asks under a facetious chuckle.
“After the incessant grilling you gave me two years ago while I was trying to recover from life-threatening injuries, I'd be very glad if you never asked me a question ever again.”
“Alright, alright. I'll get out of your hair now. It's past my bedtime anyway.” Terrence finally begins to make his way back to the front door to exit the apartment. Atreus follows closely behind, making no effort to hide his eagerness to help his unannounced guest to leave.
“By the way, don't tell your uppity partner about any of this. I don't trust him with this information.”
“Yeah, I know. I won't. He'll just lecture me about accepting tips from clan members. You know how he is about you guys,” the detective give his answer as he opens the door out to the veranda overlooking the nearby street. He takes a step out, but turns back around before Atreus can close him out. “By the way, I still think you're hiding something else important that you don't want to tell me,” he keenly remarks with a stern expression and slightly narrowed eyes.
“I've told you everything worth telling,” Atreus insists, but an image of the gun he found in Takiyama's apartment flashes in his mind. It's true he deliberately avoided mentioning the supposed murder weapon, but now that Colter is aware of the USB drive full of potentially incriminating documents, the gangster feels that it's not worth the likely argument the two would ignite if it's brought up.
“You were in a hospital bed the last time I interrogated you, so you were spared the experience of being hauled off into a dark room with no windows or a clock.”
“Is this how you want to end your visit? A threat? Even though I would've been entirely in my right to not even answer the fucking door, Mr. 'I'm-Here-As-A-Civilian'?”
“I'm just reminding you that it's important to keep me updated. If you're hiding something now, I expect you to talk to me about it next time we speak.”
“I'll talk to you about whatever I feel is worth mentioning. No more, no less. It might be everything I know, it might not be. That's up for me to decide.”
Terrence sighs yet again at his acquaintance's bullheadedness. “Just... don't get yourself killed. At least do that for me.”
“I had no intention of doing otherwise.”
“Good. I'll see you around,” the detective finally ends the conversation and steps away from the door and down the veranda.
Atreus quietly shuts the door without giving any sort of goodbye, not even a halfhearted utterance or snide comment. Alone once again in his apartment, he takes a deep breath to ease his agitation. He hopes that the conversation, while frustrating, was enough to steer the detective in the right direction: a vague path towards Zephir and possibly an unknown third party, and away from the Sanada-gumi. The investigation continues to grow complex and entangled with implications of corporate corruption, the killer still being at large, the encrypted documents, and the conjecture of Atmos's servers being at risk.
The gangster has grown mentally spent after spending the entire day trying to make heads or tails of everything, and the idle threats of arrest from an unwelcome visitor trying to overstep his boundaries only adds to his strain. Hoping to relax, he returns to his sofa and continues where he left off listlessly thumbing through thousands of music tracks to play over his home speakers. Sadly, it's an ill-fated effort, as his agitation insists on bubbling up. He throws the tablet onto the cushion to his side and simply stares downward at his coffee table, where his eyes are drawn to his phone. With no single purpose for doing so in mind, he picks it up and turns it on, noticing the time is nearly 3 AM. Then, for no particular reason, his mind conjures an image of Max. She usually sends a text after her shift is over, but it's rare for him to be the one to initiate the conversation.
[Hey, are you home right now?] Atreus asks, hoping to open the door for some small talk.
[Yup. I'm home, relaxing. How'd your business go? The stuff you left Crown early for,] Max responds immediately.
[It went fine. I just met up with a couple people,] he types out the first part of his answer, but pauses briefly before sending it. He remembers telling Max earlier that he wouldn't be able to hang out after their shift, but he doesn't feel particularly compelled to call it a night and go to bed just yet. [This is gonna sound sudden, but do you want to come over?] he types the question and sends the message before he can give himself a moment to reconsider.
A punctuated moment passes as he waits for a response. With her habit of replying near instantly, especially when she's not busy, he at first takes this as a bad sign. Maybe he was overstepping his boundaries by asking something implicit like that out of the blue? He isn't sure why he thought it was a good idea; perhaps it was the first thing he thought of that might finally bring his mind away from the swirling hurricane of theories and conspiracies occupying his thoughts about the investigation, and the frustrations caused by the conversation with his recent guest.
Atreus's phone loudly chimes a tone to notify him of an incoming message. Expecting a rejection or generally unfavorable response, he sighs and looks at his screen. He quietly reassures himself that even if his invitation is denied, he would still be successful at thinking about something that isn't the investigation.
[Where do you live again? Yazawa Commons, right?] Max asks in her reply.
He's surprised at first, but shakes off his astonishment to answer. [Yeah, Yazawa Commons, room 209.]
[Cool! I'll be there in about fifteen minutes or so.]
Atreus, while pleased at her acceptance of the invitation, is also shocked at the seemingly hurried tone of her messages, which suggests an eagerness to come by. When he realizes this, however, he suddenly becomes self-conscious. He invited her on a whim, with no real expectations of what might happen while they're alone – outside of his own idealistic thoughts, of course.