02:35, Club Drømme Exterior, Geylang Road, 14 Jan 2075
Fudo stared at the super nightclub from across the road, the scar-like sigil on his face throbbing as red tendrils manifested from it like little ribbons flowing in the wind. He thought about how he had promised the Ninth Princess to turn himself in should she keep her end of the bargain, but at the same time, he was aware of the potential chance that those that had violated and murdered Kazuya and Miharu Kaneki would be released due to not having enough evidence.
Shaking his head in frustration towards his sudden indecisiveness, Fudo stared at a picture of himself with the Kaneki Siblings, taken at theme park in Sentosa four years ago. He thought back on the mistakes that led to his eventual self-exile from the Other Side. How he was once a promising commander for the army of the Yōkuni Kingdom until a spat with Ahōji, an incompetent minister who had overstepped the boundaries of his allocated authority resulted in Fudo striking him across the face, only to discover to his horror that he had killed Ahōji instead.
In his panic, Fudo had fled into the sea, becoming lost after being caught in a storm and nearly passing out from exhaustion when a skirmish vessel of the Night-Sea’s Royal Navy picked him up. The vessel in question was being ‘misused’ for fishing by the King Of the Night-Sea and one of his adopted children, a hybrid named Hai Yue who was also a marshal of the Night-Sea Patrol and who took care of him while he was recovering on the vessel.
Fudo had pretended to be amnesiac, and the King decided to let him stay in the Night-Sea as a resident where he made a living as a fisherman. However, the King and his adopted daughter were much more perspective than he thought. They eventually deduced Fudo’s identity and status as a wanted fugitive from intelligence reports, but Fudo’s victim, the junior minister Ahōji, was infamous in the Night-Sea for nearly causing a diplomatic crisis between Yōkuni and the Night-Sea during an event where he had gotten drunk and not only outraged the modesty of the Queen of the Night-Sea but also insulted her kingdom, actions which Yōkuni refused to apologize for, so the king decided that as long as Fudo steers clear of causing trouble, he would not turn him in to Yōkuni.
For two years, Fudo lived peacefully in the Night-Sea under a false name, even gaining a bit of fame when he foiled an assassination attempt on one of the king’s biological sons, but everything fell apart when a visiting diplomat from Yōkuni recognized him, causing chaos in the docks as her military escort engaged in an unauthorized arrest attempt which resulted in a public brawl against Hai Yue and her colleagues from the Night-Sea Patrol.
Fudo had seized the opportunity to escape during the chaos, but when he was reaching an unmanned Boundary Gate in the western swamps of the Night-Sea, Hai Yue caught up with him. She wanted him to stay, promising that her father would find a way to sort the mess out and that they would try their best keep him from being returned to Yōkuni, but Fudo had decided that he's caused enough problems for his host and jumped through the Boundary Gate, thanking Hai Yue for everything she and her family has done for him before he was transported into the human world, finding himself on the Human Side in the country of Singapore
For months, he lived in the sewers near the Singapore River until one night where he came across a young woman being robbed and saved her. Surprisingly unfazed by the sight of Fudo in his True Form, the young woman thanked him and, having noticed the poor state of his clothing, insisted on getting Fudo new clothes
As it turns out, the young woman was Miharu Kaneki, a lawyer who works with her brother Kazuya and specializes in helping Othersiders falsely accused of crimes while on the Human Side, hence her lack of fear towards Othersiders in their True Forms. She took him home where her brother helped to ease him into his new life. Even when he admitted his status as a fugitive, the siblings, like Hai Yue and her father before them, chose to trust him. Over time, Miharu’s kindness captured his heart, and he finally confessed his growing feelings towards her one night, to which she surprisingly accepted, having come to love Fudo for his honesty and noble behavior. Slowly but steadily, Fudo began to once again enjoy the pleasantries of a simple life, helping out the Kaneki siblings in their work although he never went to the Supreme Courts with them for fear that the human law enforcement had been notified of his status, especially when the Night-Sea Patrol started attaching their marshals to the SPD’s Violent Othersider Incidents Division.
Eight years. That was how long he had lived with the Kaneki siblings. He was finally happy, no longer having to fear being taken away and losing everything once more, but fate seemed determined to deprive him of his happiness. One night, he had made the mistake of staying in their office to prepare documents for a case while Miharu and Kazuya left for home. One hour later, he arrived at the carpark of the apartment blocks where they lived, only to find police all over the scene and the burnt bodies of Miharu and Kazuya next to their car.
Fudo growled as he recalled how his whole world collapsed on that night. The Scorpions gang were the main suspects. Despite the police making arrests within two days of the Kaneki siblings’ murder, the coroner confirming signs of rape on both siblings and a CCTV capturing part of the murder, there was not enough evidence to prove the guilt of the Scorpions, forcing the judge to release them. Fudo suspected that this was due to the Kaneki siblings decision to represent Othersiders in court cases. Left with no alternative, Fudo retreated back to the sewers, unable to stay in the flat that he once shared with his lover and her brother.
Fudo touched the scar on his face, the sigil left on him by Count Aleksandër Eramuzg of the Sanguine Court of Southeast Asia one month ago. He had helped the vampire in the past, back on the Other Side, and was surprised to see him again in Singapore where he had since become a count. The vampire had somehow became aware of what had transpired in Fudo’s life and searched for him, eventually finding him in the sewers, and had offered to help him sought revenge. Well-known for being an information broker among vampires, Count Eramuzg was able to quickly uncover the identities of those who murdered the Kaneki siblings in exchange for Fudo accepting his personal sigil that bound the samebito to Eramuzg while also obtaining a bit of the vampire’s powers.
In the end, Fudo got what he wanted. Learning about the drug kingpin known only as Garky, he was, with help from Count Eramuzg's agents, able to tricked five of the Scorpions involved in the Kaneki siblings’ murder into a trap where he killed all of them. The last one kept begging for mercy, that he was about to have a family of his own, but Fudo made sure to remind him the Scorpions had destroyed Fudo’s family before tearing him into two pieces. The sadistic thought on how this scum’s family would react to his corpse being found in two shocked Fudo himself, for he never thought he would have so much hatred in him, but he knew that at this point, there was no backtracking anymore.
Hai Yue’s appearance had changed everything, though. Face to face with the Ninth Princess once again, Fudo’s guilt and shame about his actions only increased. Perhaps it was the look of disappointment on Hai Yue’s face that got to him. After all, she spoke up for him and even got into a public brawl with the elite bodyguards assigned to protect Yōkuni royalty and diplomats just to give him a chance. Now, Hai Yue was adamant about taking him under custody, but something was preventing Fudo from giving up. Determination? Rage? He didn’t know, to be honest, but he ultimately made that deal of turning himself in if the killers were brought to justice before escaping, hoping that the Ninth Princess would accept it. So far, neither she nor the human law enforcement officers have come after him, so he supposed that she was at least trying to keep her word.
Which also means that he must do his best to keep his word. Resisting the temptation of breaking into the club in front of him, Fudo turned away from the club and disappeared back into the darkness while the sound of approaching police vehicles could be heard getting louder…
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02:40, Geylang Road, 14 Jan 2075
“This vehicle is too cramped,” Kuang Lang complained as he and Kuang Bing sat in the back of the SUV that Joel and Shawn were driving, with Hai Yue in between them looking rather comfortable due to her smaller size.
“Maybe you two should lose some height,” Shawn retorted.
“Or maybe you two should carry lighter weapons. Every time I brake, I piss my pants thinking that axe is going to cleave the back of my head open,” Joel added.
“I am very careful with my weapons, human. Do not worry yourself, although I do not recommend pissing in your pants,” Kuang Bing advised.
“Indeed. It is unhygienic and having wet pants in such humid conditions is most uncomfortable,” Kuang Lang added.
Joel and Shawn stared at Hai Yue with incredulous looks on their faces, with Hai Yue sheepishly grinning at them as she explained, “These two are not very familiar with how humans use certain words to describe their current emotions.”
“Anyways, after all the overtime we pulled on our second day shift, we never got the warrant to conduct a search, which means the owners have every right to deny us entry,” Joel commented.
“Lucky for us, we got to hold off from any action until our second night shift… Besides, the GSB don’t need a warrant to execute a search for late-night entertainment centers. They can just go in, find Vance if he’s really hiding there, and drag his sorry ass out for us. Hell, I’m more worried about our shark friend’s ability to keep his word.”
“Why do you think I brought these two guys here, Shawn?” Hai Yue commented as she gestured to both her bodyguards.
“Yeah, with big axes and big clubs to boot. Is the Night-Sea Patrol planning to take Fudo alive?”
“If possible. If these two had not chosen to remain in the military, they would have been the Night-Sea Patrol’s most dangerous man-catchers.”
“If you say so… All right, we’re here. Now we just wait while the Gang Suppression Branch does their magic,” Joel said as he stopped their SUV outside Club Drømme.
“Club Drømme… One of Singapore’s so-called Six Sites of Sin. Used to be a shopping mall before the Fourth World War. Very popular among the young nowadays, but also a hotbed for drug peddling and gang meetings,” Shawn commented as he and the others exited their vehicle while another car stopped behind them, with Zai, Ellen and Shankar emerging from it.
“Huh, sounds like the Jade Streets back home,” Kuang Lang said.
“Jade Streets?”
“A red-light district back in the Night-Sea. Lots of entertainment businesses there. If you come over to the Other Side, we’ll show you around. Just make sure you got a weapon on you at all times when you’re there,” Kuang Bing explained.
“If we ever get the chance to visit. Anyways, GSB going to move in?” Joel asked.
“Yeah, they’re here as we speak.”
Several police vehicles, both undercover and patrol, came to a stop outside the club. The uniformed officers stayed watch outside the club while a dozen GSB officers in plainclothes entered the venue, with the bouncers unable to do anything to stop them without breaking the law.
“While we’re waiting, what is this Six Sites of Sin you mentioned?” Hai Yue asked.
“Er, it’s an unofficial name we give to six locations around Singapore that’s pretty fucked up when it comes to, er, well, socially unacceptable things. Club Drømme’s one of them, followed by the Bludworkz, which is worst.”
“Sounds like an illegal cage-fighting zone.”
“No, that’s the Cages, a location near Tuas Port where illegal bareknuckle fights takes place and also one of the six. The Bludworkz is a vampire-owned nightclub. Thursday and Saturday nights are reserved for vampires only, other days are strictly for humans only.”
“How bad is this Bludworkz?”
“Real bad, especially if you’re the chaste type. I sincerely hope you never have to visit the Bludworkz.”
“Thanks for the warning. Now, that’s three of the Six Sites of Sin. What are the rest?”
“The Cemetery Market. Bunch of black marketeers took over Singapore’s largest cemetery and set up an illegal hub for humans and Othersiders to trade illicit goods and contrabands. Assholes got a few necromancers in their gang, summoning ghosts and zombies to chase off any police officer coming to investigate. Ubin Quarry can be found on Pulau Ubin. As its name suggests, it’s a very old quarry, probably more than a century old. Unlicensed magic practitioners have been using that place to conduct rituals as of recent.”
“The last one is known as The Trenches. Used to be a district named Bukit Timah where lots of money-loaded people lived in. After the Third and Fourth World Wars, that whole place was barely halfway into rebuilding when several gangs and illegal immigrants started moving in. So much violence was taking place there that we had to erect a wall and guard towers around the whole district for safety measures.”
“Why is it called The Trenches?”
“Whole district's like a warzone within a labyrinth of slums and shanties. Apart from the gangs, there are beggars, the homeless, survivalists, anti-government individuals, hackers, black marketeers and so forth that have made the Trenches their home. Every attempt to reclaim and rebuild the district has failed. Even organized crimes are setting up base in the Trenches…”
02:54, Club Drømme Interior, Geylang Road, 14 Jan 2075
“Shit,” Vance uttered as he saw officers from the GSB entering the club.
Unfazed, Niclas Thrane merely adjusted his two-piece suit, ruffled part of his hair to make it slightly messy and put on a pair of cheap glasses before adjusting his posture so that he was slightly slouched, effectively changing his persona to one that was more approachable and less intimidating.
“Stay here and listen on the intercom. You hear the words ‘Please, go on ahead’, exit via the door over there. It takes you straight to the basement. Remember what I said about moving some boxes. The door leads to the carpark. Find the green one.”
With those instructions, Niclas left the VIP room, leaving a nervous Vance all alone. For the next two minutes, he eavesdropped on the conversation Niclas had with the GSB officers.
“Good evening, officers. Another check on my guests?”
“Yes, Mr Thrane, although this time around, we’re also looking for a particular individual.”
“And who might that be?”
“Foo Kim Hor, aka Vance. A Scorpions leader.”
“Well, it is true that members of the Scorpions frequent this facility… I suppose it’s another full search of the place?”
“Of course. Apologies for the inconvenience.”
“Oh, it’s all fine. You have your jobs to do. Please, go on ahead. But please do take care not to har-”
That was the signal. Vance immediately got out the door Niclas had instructed him to use and quickly made his way down the stairs. True enough, there were a few boxes blocking a door which he quickly moved aside before exiting into the underground carpark where a green hatchback stood out among the other vehicles like a sore thumb, the keys hanging from one of the sideview mirrors.
As he got in and started the engine, Vance realized too late that there were two GSB officers in the underground carpark, and they spotted him the same time he saw them. Seeing them running towards him, Vance panicked, but then he realized he was at the advantage and lets out a laugh as he pressed down on the accelerator. The car lurched forward, striking one of the officers while the other barely managed to dodge, before exiting the carpark with a loud screech of the tires…
03:00, Club Drømme Exterior, Geylang Road, 14 Jan 2075
“Officer down! Suspect leaving the scene in a green hatchback, plate numbers starting with SFB!”
As Shawn listened in on the radio, a green hatchback tore out of the underground parking lot and drifted past them, speeding down the road as Shawn caught a glimpse of the plate number.
"That’s the one! Let’s go!" he called out before jumping into the SUV with Joel getting into the driver’s seat while Hai Yue and her twin bodyguards somehow managed to squeeze in within seconds despite the latter two’s size.
“Staff Sergeant Shawn Teo and SI Trevelyan currently in pursuit of suspect vehicle! Require reinforcement!” Shawn requested over the radio, with two passing patrol cars travelling the opposite direction flipping a bitch in order to join in the chase.
As the pursuit entered the PIE expressway, more messages were coming in, confirming that the suspect was indeed Vance, the man they were searching for. The injured officer was already being sent to the nearest hospital for treatment, but the fact that Vance had ran him over without hesitation showed just how dangerous the man they were pursuing was.
"Damn it, speed up! We’re going to lose him!” Hai Yue complained.
“I really don’t need a backseat driver right now!” Joel snapped back.
“She’s right, you need to go faster! Pit his ass!” Shawn roared back, causing the Eurasian officer to finally speed up, switching from the PIE to the KPE before finally exiting back into Mountbatten Road.
As the pursuit reached the bridge area over the Geylang River, a huge figure is seen leaping out from the side of the bridge and landing on the green hatchback, completely obliterating the front of the vehicle and forcing Joel to do an emergency brake.
“What the hell?” Shawn cursed as he recovered from the sudden braking and emerged from the SUV with his sidearm drawn, followed by Hai Yue squeezing past her bodyguards to exit the vehicle first.
“Well, that was both intense and random,” Hai Yue joked, but then all humor disappeared from her face as she realized who it was that had stopped the green hatchback from escaping.
It was Fudo.