Saint Seiya Fan Fiction ❯ Walking the Other Way ❯ Mission Enflamed ( Chapter 7 )

Standard disclaimer: I don't own Saint Seiya, and I'm not making money out of this.

 

Walking the Other Way

A Saint Seiya Gift fic

 

DragonRuler

 

Chapter Seven: Mission Inflamed

 

“Those works were never here. Why should they be?”

 

Shaka sipped his drink, carefully observing the woman's face. Next to him Silver walked through her office, innocently checking out paintings and diplomas. He didn't understand one bit of what was being said, but judging by the quick glances she threw both him and Shaka, she didn't like this. It was a strange language to hear, he thought.

 

“I am not saying they should be here,” Shaka replied kindly. “They turned up in neighboring countries and we have reason to believe they originally came from Japan. Come on, Kiyoko, you know me.”

 

Kiyoko shuffled around in her seat, throwing her dark brown eyes up at Shaka. It was strange to see her in this position. Nine years ago she'd been a starting officer, but now she was head of one of the biggest police offices in Tokyo. Yet she seemed out of place, Shaka thought. Ambition had never been one of her traits. For that he had known her too well. So possible she'd been provided with this promotion outside her own will, with an ulterior motive, something along the lines of someone who was easy to disregard or threaten.

 

“Why did they send you here, Shaka?”

 

“Because I know this country.”

 

“They shouldn't have, but I can assure you that I do not know who had those paintings.”

 

Shaka squinted for a moment, and then rubbed his eyes.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Yes, very. I'm sorry, Shaka. But I am happy to see you.”

 

Shaka smiled, for which he received a strange look from Silver. “So am I,” he said.

 

“And I'm sure my daughter would be delighted to see you again. How long will you reside here?”

 

“We don't really know. It depends on the development of the case, but we won't be gone quickly. I was hoping you could give me a lead, but since you can't I'll have to look elsewhere.”

 

“Would you have the time to visit us?”

 

“Of course,” he smiled again. “Where do you live now?”

 

“Ah, yes,” she said. “Wait, I'll write it down for you. Just give me a call before you want to drop by so I can prepare something nice.”

 

“I'll make sure to do that.”

 

Shaka rose from his seat, making a sign at Silver. “Well, we'd better be leaving you to your work.”

 

“Good luck with yours. I'm really sorry I couldn't help you.”

 

“No problem, Kiyoko. Don't worry about it.”

 

He turned away from her, his hair swaying gently, and left her office with Silver close behind him. They didn't speak before they were outside and away from the building.

 

“So what did she have to say,” Silver asked.

 

“She knows,” he said simply. “But obviously she can't just say it. She wants me over for dinner, so she can tell me.”

 

“What did she write on that note?”

 

“Her address and phone number,” he said, while taking it out of his pocket. “That's all.”

 

“Old girlfriend, ey,” Silver grinned. “I thought she looked at you in a way only women can when they have a past with you.”

 

Shaka smiled weakly. “Yes, she has been, but things didn't quite work out.”

 

“When will you visit her then?”

 

“Not too quickly, they'll keep an eye on her for a while.”

 

“Why? It's only artworks we're talking about,” Silver grunted.

 

“Yes, but also a black market which the government knows of and makes us of, although to the outside world they pretend to fight it. Like in so many countries,” he added.

 

“Don't you just love our job,” Silver said.

 

Both officers walked on and got swallowed by the mass of people in the streets of mighty Tokyo.

 

*****

 

“Hey Dragon! Where the hell's Ikki?”

 

Seiya came dashing down the hill towards Shiryu's house, with three of the orphans in his trail. Shiryu closed the door of his car and smiled at Edahiko and Shina who chased each other around the two men's legs.

 

“He's out back at the pool,” the long haired man said. “Shun and Hyoga aren't here yet. Why didn't you bring all the kids?”

 

“Miho had a trip arranged so we divided the group.”

 

Seiya fell into pace next to Shiryu as the kids kept running and screaming in their game of cop'n thief. For some reason Seiya thought it felt strangely pleasant to walk so close to each other. The smaller brunette frowned at the thought and took some distance. They turned round the house, arriving at the pool. The architect had designed his own house in the old days, when his employers still had the money to finance such escapades for their employees.

 

“Hiya, Ikki,” Seiya yelled.

 

The Lion looked up from his book and eyed the brunette over the rim of his sunglasses. “Hi, Seiya. Cool off your big mouth in that pool, will you?”

 

“My pleasure,” the other grinned, while stripping to his bathing trunks. Almost too late Ikki realized Seiya's plan to bomb him wet and ran from his seat to clear ground.

 

“Nice try, but no game.”

 

Seiya wrinkled his wet nose in wonder at Ikki's gentleness today. “Hey, Shiryu, what did you spike his drink with?”

 

“His brain is just giving in, due to the warm weather,” the architect grinned.

 

Ikki shook his head, shot a glare at each of his friends and returned to his seat, where he was welcomed by Edahiko. Uneasy the Lion stared at the small human being on his seat.

 

“Will you sjoin me and read me thisj?”

 

Blinking Ikki sat next to the child, who handed him a tattered book. With a strong move he lifted the small child high and put him on his lap. Edahiko giggled and nestled himself against Ikki's chest as the man started reading. About ten minutes later a car pulled up on Shiryu's driveway.

 

“It's Shun and Hyoga,” Shina squealed as she ran back from the front. She danced around Ikki and Edahiko a few times before running back. As she came to the corner Shun and Hyoga walked around it, so she bumped into the first one.

 

“Hi, Shina,” Shun laughed and picked the child off the ground. “Why aren't you swimming yet? It's warm!”

 

“Well… We just didn't yet. I was playing with Doko. I was winning too. And see, see? Ikki's reading to Edahiko. I know how to read, Shun, did you know?”

 

Shun looked at his brother with the small child in his lap and remembered his own times in that lap. “Yes, I know you can read and you're very good at it too.”

 

“Shina! Look at me!” Doko took a sprint and made a jump into the pool. The girl laughed, squirmed herself out of Shun's arms and ran to the pool.

 

“Let's play Marco Polo,” she yelled, while tossing off her clothes.

 

“Marco!”

 

“Polo!”

 

“Hi guys,” Shiryu said. “What do you want for drinks?”

 

“I'll have a tonic,” Shun said.

 

“I'll have a vodka,” Hyoga grinned.

 

“At this time a day?” Seiya was still floating in the water when he said that. “Hyoga, man, are you ok?”

 

“I'm fine, Seiya,” the blonde smiled. “I just happen to feel like a drink.”

 

“No problem,” Shiryu said. “Seiya, what'll it be for you?”

 

“A coke will do, thanks.” The brunette took another dive and disappeared under water.

 

“Ikki, need a refill?”

 

The Lion looked up and shook his head. “I'm fine.” He returned to reading the story to the child.

 

They enjoyed a warm, sunny afternoon this way. Edahiko eventually left the safe cover of Ikki's lap and joined the others in the water. Hyoga spent his time floating on a mattress, of course with the risk of being overtaken by sharkboy Seiya and his followers. Shun sat on the side, trying to catch a bit of a tan and working on his last book.

 

Slowly the day turned colder and darker as evening fell over them like a wet blanket. Edahiko had fallen asleep in his towel on Ikki's lap. Shina and Doko were quietly playing a board game with Hyoga and Shun. Shiryu had disappeared into the kitchen, closely followed by Seiya. The house was silent and dark, the way it can be on a calm evening. The sun light still poured in a bit, but low and in dusty trails it fell through the kitchen windows.

 

“Can I give you a hand with something?” Seiya carefully sat on the counter in the softly lit kitchen.

 

“Sure,” Shiryu replied kindly. “You can cut these if you want.”

 

He pushed three large paprikas and a knife towards Seiya, who smiled and hopped off the counter. “What are you making?”

 

“An oven dish with fish and vegetables.” Shiryu stood at the fire, poking at the baking meat.

 

“And rice,” Seiya asked hopefully.

 

“Rice cookies even,” the architect smiled.

 

“You read my mind!”

 

“Sometimes I wish I could.”

 

“What?”

 

“Seiya, your brats are hungry,” a deep voice said. Ikki entered the kitchen with Edahiko on his back, and Shina and Doko at his arms. “Can I do something?”

 

“The kids can set the table if they're hungry,” Shiryu said. “The plates are in that closet. Will you help them, Ikki?”

 

“Sure.”

 

Shun followed soon after Ikki and the children, and poked his nose up sniffing the air. “Hmmm, Shiryu, it smells great in here.”

Seiya searched Shiryu's face, but couldn't make out anything and he was left wondering about the man's last remark before everyone had entered. It was only twenty minutes before dinner was on the table.

 

“Shiryu, where's your Dubliners CD?” Shun rummaged through the man's CD collection.

 

“Still in the machine, I think.”

 

Indeed, Shun noticed as he opened it, and put it on. The happy Irish tunes filled the room. Shiryu opened a bottle of white wine to go with the fish.

 

“To the future,” he smiled, lifting his glass.

 

“To the future.”

 

The children looked peculiarly at these grown men who all held up their glasses and were saying stuff they didn't really understand.

 

“Delicious wine,” Seiya smacked. “Italian?”

 

“Indeed. One of Hyoga's gifts if I recall well,” the Dragon added.

 

Hyoga nodded. “Correct. Straight from Cerignola.”

 

“I love it when you talk with an Italian accent,” Shun said softly. The writer had developed a cute blush from the sun. He'd spoken softly, but not soft enough for Seiya's wicked ears.

 

“Italian? Shunnyboy, I should've know languages got you going!”

 

“Seiya!” Shun's blush was brought out more by the insinuating remark. Hyoga's eyes looked darker for a moment.

 

“Mind the kids, will you,” the blonde snorted. “No reason to corrupt their minds already.”

 

Doko grinned mischievously at Hyoga's words. “If it's not too late already”, he added suspiciously.

 

“Really, Peach, you should mind your words around them,” Shiryu threw in his dime.

 

“And your manners,” Ikki added.

 

“Strange,” the brunette said, seemingly ponderous. “That's what Miho keeps telling me, but alas, to no avail.”

 

Shun was still flustered but tried to stop it by putting a cool hand against his cheek. Throwing Seiya an indignant look only made the perpetrator snicker again. The food was warm and delicious, and soon the children got into a slump and crawled on a heap in the couch. Ikki gazed at the heap of small human beings in the darker corner of the living room.

 

“Dragon, do you have room for my kids?”

 

The architect looked strangely at Seiya's choice of words, but the brunette failed to notice.

 

“I have a room for them, yes, as always. I hope you brought sleeping bags.”

 

“What do you take me for,” Seiya smiled. “Thanks. Hey, Ikki, wanna help me put them to bed?”

 

“Gladly.” The Lion rose from his seat. With silent cat like moves he stepped up to the couch. He lifted out Edahiko and carefully put the child in the safe cradle of one arm. With the other he picked up Doko, neither of the children woke up. Seiya took Shina, who squeaked once and then snuggled closer into Seiya's arms. Both men walked up to the stairs, Seiya carrying the backpack in his one free hand. Once in the room Ikki put down Edahiko in the bed.

 

“Take Shina from me, will you? I need to put up their camp beds,” Seiya whispered. With ease the brunette screwed to beds together.

 

“You can put Doko on that one, I'll take Shina.”

 

Ikki for once kindly took orders and started to undo Doko of his clothes.

 

“Did you bring nighties?”

 

Seiya looked at the Lion intently, then rummaged through the backpack and handed over two pajamas.

 

“You keep surprising me, Ikki,” he said, while changing Shina into her favorite night dress. The other looked at Seiya questioningly.

 

“You're always so aloof with people and here I see you taking care of a small kid perfectly.”

 

Ikki smiled. “I raised Shun on my own.”

 

A short silence fell.

 

“Yeah… I know. Wish I'd have had a brother like you,” Seiya said while standing from tucking in the kids. He almost jumped when a strong arm closed around his shoulders.

 

“You're not alone now.”

 

Utterly bewildered Seiya underwent a warm squeeze from Ikki and was left in the dark room. He watched Ikki's broad back distance itself, until the Lion halted at the stairs and turned to look at him.

 

“Are you coming? The rest is waiting downstairs.”

 

Seiya rubbed one hand over his face. “Yes… Yes, I am.”

 

Silently they descended the stairs. The other had already cleared the table and replaced the pots and pans with the material they'd bought for the upcoming coup.

 

“Is everything here?”

 

“It should be,” Hyoga said. “Things can't go wrong.”

 

“Good,” Ikki said. “Then we move in over two days.”

 

*****

 

“It was a personal collection?”

 

Shaka looked at Kiyoko warily.

 

“I kid you not,” she said while serving him some more sushi. Her daughter Kay had a bored look on her face now that Shaka and her mother were talking big talk. It had been fun as long as they'd given her attention.

 

“From what I know all those pieces you've shown me come from a personal collection but…”

 

“You can't tell me whose? I guessed as much.”

 

“Well, I could but I can't, if you get my drift.”

 

Kay made a face at the dubious sentence.

 

“I think I do,” Shaka nodded. He looked at the empty seat where Kay's father had to be. “Where are they keeping him?”

 

“I don't know. I don't know anything.”

 

“Mom!” Kay stared at the two people in fear. “You weren't supposed to tell anyone!”

 

“She didn't tell me anything, Kay,” Shaka said calmly. “I guessed it.”

 

“What?” The teenager looked confused. “But how can you…?”

 

Shaka smiled. “It's my job.”

 

“Ask me questions,” Kiyoko suddenly said. “I'll tell you if you're wrong.”

 

The blonde cop hesitated for a moment. “This will get you in trouble.”

 

Kiyoko made a stubborn, impatient move with her hand.

 

“Ok,” Shaka nodded. “This personal collection… The owner belongs to high society?” The dark-haired woman kept eating, without saying a word.

 

“Well?”

 

“Did I say you were wrong?” Shaka grinned.

 

“Most of his personal collection was gained illegitimately.”

 

Silence.

 

“He kept them in his house.”

 

“Wrong.”

 

“It was a cover-up then, a place where they could be kept without rousing any suspicion.”

 

Silence.

 

“The government knew about it.”

 

Silence.

 

“But this is not what they intended to do with it.”

 

Silence. Kay slowly chewed her food, barely knowing what she was eating, while she observed this strange game her mother and Shaka were playing. She remembered Shaka quite well, despite the young age she'd had when he'd been part of the household. The situation hadn't been clear to her back then, but now it was. Whatever had been between her mother and Shaka had been outside her father's knowledge. Kay liked the blonde man and he'd been a male figure for her while her father had been gone. But seeing him in their house, while her father was in such a predicament did not feel right… As if he`d returned for her mother. If she had been older than the sixteen springs she counted the girl would've been able to see that there was little love left between these people, but such was not the case. So her mind was suspicious of Shaka and curiously she listened in.

 

“So they were amateurs.”

 

“Half wrong,” Kiyoko grimaced. “Can't be sure.”

 

“The government had other plans with those things.”

 

Silence.

 

“A rainy day?”

 

Silence. Kiyoko made a face and leaned forward. Shaka reached over to grasp her hand, ignorant to Kay's jealous look.

 

“Kiyoko, what's wrong?”

 

The woman started sobbing.

 

“I don't know why I'm telling you this,” she said. “I shouldn't and I'd sworn not to tell anyone but… but things are wrong. My job is a farce. The whole judicial system is a joke! Japan is one big criminal playground and…”

 

Shaka had walked to the other side of the table and taken her in his arms. Shyly Kay shuffled closer, a worried look on her young face. She'd never seen her mother like this before and it frightened her.

 

“And,” Shaka kindly coaxed her.

 

“I don't want my child to grow up here.”

 

Kay's eyes widened a bit as she jumped to conclusions. Leave Japan?

 

“But Mom, I'm fine here and I…”

 

“Kay!”

 

The sudden rise in her mother's voice made the child keep quiet. Kiyoko pulled herself free from Shaka's arms and grabbed her daughter by the shoulders.

 

“You're fine? You say you're fine? Then tell me, Kay, what it is you hide under your floorboard? Tell me who gives it to you and who made you believe that it's easy money?”

 

A bit cautious about the sudden display of feelings, Shaka sat back, looking at both women. Kay looked as if she was about to cry, but being a teenager there was a stubborn glint in her eyes that prevented her from doing so.

 

“What are you talking about? Have you been searching my room?”

 

“I clean your room, Kay! And it's hard not to notice the nail scratches in the floor. It's even harder not to notice all the things in your room I didn't buy you.” Kiyoko's voice was shaking, like her whole body was trembling with suppressed rage.

 

“What will you do then? Turn me in? Like dad? Is that why he's here?” She pointed a small finger at Shaka, who was still quietly sitting on the floor. “Or is he here for you?”

 

“No, I'm not,” he pitched in. “I'm here for my own case. Your mother's a friend of mine so we decided to catch up a bit.”

 

“Hah! How dumb do you think I am? Make me your case then! Or make my mother your case, because that's what she wants!”

 

Kiyoko's face colored red in fury. In silence Shaka wondered just what he'd gotten himself into and was appalled at the insolence with which the child spoke to her mother. Somewhere the Kay he'd known had been changed and Kiyoko surely wasn't solely responsible in that.

 

“It is not! I want you to open your eyes and…”

 

“Oh, shut up!”

 

At this Shaka rose to his full length and pulled Kay with him at her arm. His blue eyes flashed angrily as he brought his face close to hers.

 

“Kay, I don't know what you're hiding in your room, but I can make a good guess. Do you know what happens to you, to kids your age, when they get caught?”

 

The girl looked at him defiantly, but remained quiet.

 

“You're old enough to be judged like an adult. No juvenile for you. Instead you'll wind up with people like those who got you to believe that that,” he pointed at the door of her room. “Brings you a better life, except: those guys have been caught, which in itself should tell you enough but…”

 

The girl opened her mouth.

 

“But,” he cut her short. “In case you haven't thought about it yet, I'll explain. You're afraid of those guys, aren't you? Of those who lured you in? You know what they do to people who don't obey.” His voice was calmer now, but not really gentle. Kiyoko had tears in her eyes as she looked at her daughter's face. Kay hesitated, lowering her eyes and weakly squirmed in Shaka's strong grip. Then she nodded.

 

“Imagine what they're like in prison then, where you'll end up if you keep this up.”

 

“Oh,” she exclaimed in panic. “But… But I don't want that!”

 

“Neither did they,” Shaka said. “But if you burn yourself, you accept the blisters. Do you understand what I'm saying, Kay?”

 

Finally he let go of the girl, who immediately sank through her knees.

 

“I do, but… What can I do about it? I mean, I'm in over my head.”

 

“First this,” Shaka interrupted. “Do you always talk to your mother like that?”

 

Kay's mouth twitched involuntarily and she looked at her mother, anger and shame fighting for first place in her eyes.

 

“I understand what you mean,” she said. For a moment she feared Shaka might force her to apologize, but the cop knew better than to force someone who'd just acknowledged his own mistake.

 

“Now go get whatever it is you're hiding,” he said.

 

“I can't give you that,” she panicked. “They'll ki…”

 

Abruptly she closed her mouth, eyes wide in horror.

 

“Exactly,” Shaka said. “They'll kill you if you lose it. Do you still think it's easy money?”

 

“No,” she yelled in frustration, unaware of what Shaka was doing. “Do you want me dead? What kind of cop are you?”

 

“One who knows his job a lot better than the ones we know,” Kiyoko mumbled.

 

“Of course I don't want you dead,” Shaka smiled. “Go get it so I know what we're talking about.”

 

Kay looked at her mother and Shaka through a mist of tears. “You set me up. You wanted me to say that, about the… the…”

 

“Fact that they would kill you,” Shaka finished for her. “Yes, I wanted you to say that to make sure you realize just what you're in.”

 

The teenager angrily rubbed her eyes dry. “Don't tell me you set this whole thing up?”

 

Shaka laughed. “No, I didn't know about it. I really was here for a talk with your mother and to see you.”

 

Kay snorted roughly. “I'll be right back.”

 

Shaka looked at her as she walked away, and then turned to Kiyoko. “Well, this was interesting,” he smiled.

 

“I'm so sorry about this,” Kiyoko started. “I didn't mean to do this, but you just stirred everything up.”

 

“Seems I have a tendency towards that, yes,” he said. “Don't think twice about it, Kiyoko, really. I'm glad she's not really corrupted yet.”

 

“Nice way of putting it,” Kay said, as she returned with a box in her hands. “There's more in my room.”

 

“The right way of putting it,” Shaka corrected her. He took the box from her. “And there's no offense intended.”

 

“I know, I know,” she sighed.

 

The cop threw a quick glance at the content of it. He took out one bag and opened it.

 

“Hey…”

 

He threw the girl a sharp look, which made her sit back. Carefully he dipped in the tip of his finger and licked it clean. He let Kiyoko test it as well.

 

“No amateurs,” he said. “That's for sure.”

 

He did the same with a second bag.

 

“Well… Not completely at least. Here, take it back.”

 

“Just how did you get involved in this,” her mother asked.

 

Kay shrugged as she returned to the table. “I dunno,” she said. “It just happened. What you'd call `wrong friends', I guess.”

 

“And rightfully so, but it's not that we lack money. Why did you go along in it?”

 

“I… I was hoping I could buy dad free.”

 

Kiyoko let out an exasperated sound at which Shaka put an arm around her again, but this time he also pulled Kay closer.

 

“It's a nice thought,” he said. “But it wouldn't have worked, regardless of how much money you'd have collected. They took your dad because they need him caged.”

 

“But it's not fair,” the child shouted.

 

“It never is,” he said calmly. “But it will be solved.”

 

“How,” Kay sniffed.

 

“I'll try to get things settled. Japan's lost track of itself.”

 

“You're alone, Shaka. What can one man do,” Kiyoko said.

 

“Make it damn hard on them to fuck with the people.”

 

Kay looked up, fierce lights shining in her eyes. Shaka squeezed both women a bit closer and then let go of them. “Looks like I'll have more on my hands than I bargained for.”

 

“Want to continue your question game?”

 

“Well,” Shaka faltered. “I'm not sure. With what you've given me so far I could easily go ask around.”

 

“No one will tell you whose it is,” Kiyoko shook her head. “Depends what it is exactly you need to do?”

 

“I never expected it to be a case of this magnitude, honestly. I'd better start with who pulled that last stunt. My men can look into whose collection it was and go on from there. As for you,” he turned to Kay. “Go on as you were doing, but stay out of trouble. Keep a low profile and well, this is highly unusual, but report to your mother.”

 

“Cool, I get to be an agent,” the girl grinned.

 

“Kay,” Kiyoko said sternly.

 

“I know, Mom, I know.” Kay lifted her hands protecting her from further reprimands. “I know the risks.”

 

“I don't think you fully do,” her mother said apprehensively. “But you'll learn soon enough.”

 

“Also I'll see what I can do for your father,” he promised. “I don't know what reasons you gave those guys for joining in, but keep them up.”

Shaka glanced at the clock. It was already past midnight and he still had to talk things over with his men.

 

“I have to be off soon, Kiyoko,” he said. “But I'll help you with the dishes.”

 

“You haven't changed one bit,” she smiled. “And I hope that's promising for us.”

 

*****

“Tell me again why we're here like thieves in the night?”

 

Silver grinned brutally and stepped on a branch purposely, which immediately had its effect.

 

“Hey, fuzzbrain, keep it down,” Francis hissed.

 

“Look, scardycat, there's no one around. Pipe down, ok?”

 

“Guys,” Shaka said warningly. “I put you there on the lookout, not to start bickering and spread noise for four blocks to hear.”

 

“Then tell me again, sir, why we're breaking an entry into some high class guy's house?” Francis was looking dangerously pale. The boy had arrived two days after Shaka and the others, together with Nolan. He was a great cop, as long as things were done by the book, which was the first thing to falter with age, Silver thought ironically.

 

“It's a museum. Not a mansion,” Silver noted dryly, at which Francis made some obscene gesture at him.

 

“Because we don't want trouble with that high class,” Shaka grinned. “Now get your asses in here.”

 

Both men slipped inside, Francis clearly grateful for the walls around him. Silver snickered helplessly. Rolling his eyes, Shaka motioned both his men to follow him. They'd taken the same route as the men who'd broken the entry weeks back. Apparently the owner hadn't bothered to fortify security, for whichever reason. Of course, if you owned an illegitimate collection you wouldn't blow the whistle on it if anything got stolen.

 

“Spread out,” he ordered his men. “Look for signs.”

 

“Right at the door,” Francis said sourly. “Where we just passed through.”

 

“For the love of… Francis!”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“Stop calling me sir and stop whining. This won't be your last illegal house search. Trust me. Now move.”

 

Shaka went in search of the security room, where he found the images of the past weeks. He zapped through them, each time from a Tuesday to a Tuesday, hoping to notice missing works reappearing in the empty spaces. All of a sudden a wall was filled with a painting again. “Aha,” he muttered. He scrolled through the images of the days following that Tuesday until he finally found the night they'd disappeared. All in all the system had been out for about thirty minutes, which led to the conclusion that they had to be with a small group, at least one of them familiar with computers. Behind Shaka the door opened.

 

“Sir?”

 

“Uurgh… Yes, Francis?”

 

Silver chuckled. “It's me, Shaka.”

 

“Very funny,” the blonde smiled as he turned towards his companion. “What did you find?”

 

“The system has been broken by an IT,” Silver said. “No other way, there's no sign left.”

 

“Apart from the missing artworks, of course,” Francis said when he walked in as well.

 

“Of course,” Shaka repeated. “I found the images here. How many do you think they were?”

 

“A group of three to five, I'm guessing.”

 

“Hm,” Shaka nodded. “Same thought here. They weren't professionals, but there's something wrong. They knew what they were doing.”

 

“Maybe from inside the system,” Francis presumed.

 

“Cops?”

 

Shaka rubbed his chin, feeling his beard returning. “Interesting.”

 

“What cop would want to do this?”

 

“We'll discuss that later,” Shaka said. “We've seen enough. I'll erase us from the tapes and shortcut this thing. Maybe that'll get their attention. We have to leave.”

 

“Why would you want to attract their attention,” Francis asked warily.

 

They walked out of the room, now safe from camera eyes.

 

“Because then they'll know something's up.”

 

“They'll get more careful,” the young cop said.

 

“Or they start making mistakes,” Silver pointed out.

 

Shaka turned his mouth towards his collar. “Did you hear all that, guys?”

 

“Yep, we did,” a voice answered. “And I'd appreciate it if you didn't refer to me as one of the guys, Shaka.”

 

“Sorry, Maria,” Shaka smiled.

 

“No problem. See you in a few. There's nothing out on the streets, you're clear.”

 

Three men slid down a rope hanging from the roof and walked over to a dark car, waiting for them just around the corner.

 

“This is really a calm neighborhood,” Maria said. She turned the car around and drove back to the hotel.

 

“He made a good pick in putting his `museum' here,” Silver agreed.

 

“So now what,” Badami asked.

 

“We need to brainstorm,” Shaka said. “Like writers always do.”

 

“Are you getting poetic again,” Maria asked, looking at her boss in the rear mirror. “Writers of Justice, that kind of stuff?”

 

“Just drive the car, Nolan and don't get smart.”

 

“I wouldn't dream to, sir,” she grinned, her green eyes glittering eagerly.