CHAPTER 6 #2
“We’re talking about people who are extremely powerful,” Shinji continued.
“They found ways. I heard that one particularly dangerous criminal learned how to erode the seals bit by bit until he removed both the seals on his body and the ones surrounding the prison and escaped. Several supernaturals died trying to catch him. After that it was voted to stick to the extractions.”
“I see.” Teruo nodded.
Shinji shuddered and lowered the blast of the air con. “So, in short,” he added, “the executions don’t happen outside the Onmyōryō because extractors have their reiryoku sealed. It’s in their contract.”
“Then how is this killer executing people if their energy is sealed?” Teruo asked.
“That’s a good question for which I don’t have an answer because the seals are auto-triggered when the extractor finishes an execution.”
Teruo drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “An accomplice, maybe?”
“Whoever aided an extractor is either insane or very brave.”
“Perhaps this extractor doesn’t work for the Onmyōryō,” Keiko suggested. “Maybe they trained on their own, so they don’t have seals.”
“That’s impossible,” Shinji said. “The training for becoming an extractor is a well-guarded secret. No one outside the Onmyōryō knows how to train for it.”
“Not that you know of,” Keiko insisted. “If it’s a teachable skill, then what if someone taught others?”
Shinji stared at her, remaining speechless for a good few seconds, genuinely frightened of this being a possibility. “No…” he mumbled.
She twisted her mouth to the side and gave him a look that said ‘you sound like you’re in denial’ which was correct because he was having a terribly difficult time believing there was an extractor, freely roaming the streets right now, with the power to take other people’s energy at any time.
Teruo made a left, leaving the main road behind, and entering a narrow street. Then a slap landed on the dashboard’s GPS and Shinji startled.
“Why are you hitting the dashboard?”
“The GPS is going crazy again,” Teruo said.
“And when in the history of broken stuff has that solved anything?”
Teruo shrugged. “Plenty of times.”
Shinji shook his head and shoved Teruo’s hand away to see better.
The line that should’ve guided them to the crime scene kept switching direction, pointing them to different destinations.
Teruo drove on, muttering something about being smarter than a GPS.
Shinji smiled to himself, then focused his attention outside the car.
They passed by a real estate agency, then a dry cleaner, and little two-story apartment blocks snuggled in between them.
As the car advanced, business buildings became sparser, the area turning into small residential houses and convenience stores, with an occasional van parked on the side of the already narrow street.
And as Teruo made a right, it became apparent why the GPS couldn’t point them in the right direction.
“Have you gotten any info about the area of the crime scene?” Shinji asked.
“Not yet. Nakagawa has made the necessary inquiries, but it’ll take time to get answers.”
Shinji nodded. “I doubt you’ll get any…”
Teruo’s brows furrowed. “Why do you say that?”
But before Shinji could answer, the car reached the crime scene, still marked by tape, and Teruo stopped the car.
Indeed, the buildings would look a tad peculiar to a non-supernatural who wasn’t used to seeing such a neighborhood.
This area wasn’t even meant to be visible to them, which only made things worse.
They climbed out of the car, and Shinji shifted his shoulders and back uncomfortably as the sweat had glued the fabric of his shirt to his skin. But the earlier heat had subsided and clouds of rain had formed yet again.
Teruo and Keiko both looked at him expectantly.
“Do you remember the beginning of our partnership when you secretly followed me to Higashikurume?” Shinji asked.
Keiko made a long ‘oh!’ sound while Teruo’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “I apologized for that.”
“I’m not bringing it up to lecture you.” Shinji placed a hand on Teruo’s cheek, stroking it in reassurance. “I’m bringing it up because of the peculiarity you’re sensing about this place. The quietness. The strange buildings.”
Teruo’s mouth fell open, and he seemed to have a moment when all the pieces fit into his mind. “Yeah, that area was so oddly empty, filled with a strange mix of buildings. Does this area belong to the Onmyōryō? It has supernatural shields, doesn’t it?”
“Had. A barrier of energy had been placed at some point and then taken off. The residue of all that spiritual energy affected the GPS. It must’ve been quite a big barrier, encompassing the entire neighborhood.”
“It’s so obvious now that I think about it,” Keiko said. “Why did I not think about it?”
“You’re not used to seeing such neighborhoods since you’re working with me, and normally, I wouldn’t have access here either.”
“Why?” Teruo asked.
“Because neighborhoods like these are used for various types of recon missions or long-time stakeouts or other similar missions. If the Onmyōryō suspects supernatural activities in certain areas, they set up a few field agents to monitor things and those agents temporarily live in these places. They could also be residencies for supernaturals who need housing. The Onmyōryō has an immense influence on the metropolis’s real estate.
They own a lot of buildings—even entire residential areas—so they do whatever they want. ”
“Geez…” Keiko made a disgusted face. “Greedy bastards.”
“Not necessarily greed. It’s a good thing to offer employees paid housing. But whether they use these buildings for other things… well…” Shinji trailed off, shrugging.
Teruo turned on his heel, staring along the street. “I never had GPS issues in Higashikurume.”
“Normally, you shouldn’t have had troubles here either.
Recon missions or stakeouts often use modern technology, so the protective seals need to allow that.
While it can still mess the GPS—because the barriers and seals hide it from the map—I’m suspecting this area’s protection was forcefully stripped away with no finesse or regard for non-supernaturals, hence the GPS strangeness. ”
Shinji advanced toward the building, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.
Small particles of energy floated in the air.
Those inside the house still pulsated with the sickeningly warm sensation of poison seeping through the skin, while those spread outside through the street had a hollower feel that barriers and seals had after sitting in one place for months or years, separated from the people who placed them.
“What’s the verdict?” Teruo asked.
Shinji opened his eyes and returned to Teruo’s side. “The verdict is that we’re in deep shit.”
“Already figured that one,” Keiko said.
Teruo’s eyes narrowed. “Please tell me they’ll not be sending another team of idiots to ‘assist’ us. I’ve had enough ‘assistance’ from the Onmyōryō.”
“Likely not, since Commissioner Horiuchi is pulling the strings now. From what Superintendent Yoshida told me, she’s got a lot of influence within the Onmyōryō.”
“So, worse,” Teruo said. “A spy in the TMPD and an extractor on the loose.”
“I wouldn’t call Horiuchi a spy, but it also doesn’t bode well that the Onmyōryō pulled so many strings to make her the commissioner.
With that being said, I don’t know if she’ll be able to do much about the situation.
” Shinji folded his arms and a new sense of dread washed over him.
He glanced at the higher levels of the houses, almost expecting to see someone looking back at him.
A tiny part of him almost regretted accepting to work on this case, but he wouldn’t back away now. Teruo must’ve realized something was wrong, and he wrapped an arm around Shinji, gently squeezing his shoulder.
“Why do you think she won’t be able to do much?” Teruo asked.
Shinji blew out a shuddering breath. “Because the moment this killer lays eyes on a supernatural person, they can start extracting the energy. I’m not sure whether Horiuchi and the Onmyōryō through her will be willing to do that.
Well, I guess we’ll see what happens once she sees my reports.
” He paused. “I’m worried too. You and Keiko have nothing to extract, but me… ”
“Hey.” Teruo wrapped his arm tighter around Shinji. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I’ll carry my gun at all times and protect you.”
Keiko flew closer. “Me too! I don’t have a gun, but my punches land heavier now!”
Shinji’s lower lip trembled, and he shook his head slowly.
“By the time a bullet or a punch reaches them, the extractor would’ve already started taking out my energy.
Even if you shoot them halfway through it, what will remain of me will be a shell of a human.
Right now, this person is out there in a city full of supernaturals who are unaware of the situation. And no one can stop them.”