Justice at Delphi - The Fall of Sibyl

Chapter 3

A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.

-Mahatma Gandhi

The last cigarette in the pack burned in the ashtray. The lingering scent that reminded her of Kogami wrapped around her like a comforting blanket. A comfort she'd soon no longer need. Akane had resolved to quit smoking after her final pack was empty. There was not much of a need for them anymore...not after seeing him. Seeing Kogami again had made all the difference. It wasn't closure so much as it was relief he was alive and still the man she knew. It was for that reason she  still searched for him. She hadn't given up on saving Kogami and bringing him back. She needed him, not just to fill the empty space in her heart. She needed his help. She couldn't change their society alone. Just when she thought she'd made headway with Sibyl, Akane would stumble into some Machiavellian plot to subvert the will of their citizens. Enough was enough.

It was time to put an end to Sibyl. It was time for society to take responsibility for itself once more.

Akane paced the room, nearly tripping over a box of files. Shifting it out of the way, she took a moment to really look at her apartment. If any one of her colleagues from the MWPSB saw her apartment, they'd question her sanity. Her living room had turned into one giant investigation board. Her interior holography was an array of photos linked to files by crimson lines creating an elaborate web. A map of Asia was projected on the wall dotted with a trail of red digital pins. Each pin corresponded to places she knew Kogami had been. After the Shamabala Float incident, Akane had been trying to track Kogami's movements.

 Knowing Kogami, Akane had focused on areas of conflict with pro-democratic factions. The data was often hard to come by, but with a little help from Karanomori, she had pin-pointed several potential spots. Akane had kept Karanomori in the dark as much as she could, but their resident data analyst wasn't a fool. She had to have guessed what Akane was up to. Whether she had guessed or not, Karanomori hadn't spoken a word about it. For that, she was grateful. Akane wasn't sure how she would have answered her questions without putting the analyst in danger and tipping off Sibyl to her plans.

Her friends and family thought her newfound interest in foreign affairs and politics was just the latest eccentricity she had developed. One less toxic than smoking. In reality, neither topic especially roused her interest. What did was the man she knew would be at the center of those political conflicts. Between her obsessive examination of news, a few astute deductions, and gut instinct, Akane had pieced together a rough trail of Kogami's movements. The results of which sent her heart racing.

The newest red pin represented the most recent conflict put to rest. Another military dictatorship had been toppled to be replaced by a fledgling democracy. Reports were optimistic as the new government gained support from the other nations within SEAUn. That had Kogami's written name all over it. She stared at the red pins as if they could divine the future. Was it possible? Akane didn't dare raise her hopes. If she traced the trajectory of the red pins from the earliest point in time when Kogami first left Japan, the trend suggested that Kogami was slowly making his way back.

A yawn caught her off guard. Her eyes widened in surprise when she caught sight of the time. The glowing green numbers were a stark reminder of just how late she'd stayed up with her pet project. If she didn't want to look like death warmed over in front of Kaori tomorrow, she needed to get some sleep.

She began the arduous task of packing away her notes and files. What had started out as a slim case file and a few photos had turned into a massive undertaking. Her home had turned into a second office. Despite her fatigue, Akane found herself smiling like a fool. Her heart felt lighter than it had in a long time. Her crazy little hobby that verged on stalking had finally yielded results.  The silence in her apartment no longer felt so oppressive. For the first time in months, she slept peacefully. A smile on her lips and Kogami in her thoughts.

***

"You look different."

"Hm?" Akane looked up in surprise at Kaori over her bowl of udon. She swallowed and licked the fragrant broth off her lip. "What do you mean?"

Kaori narrowed her eyes at her. "I don't know. You just look different. Happier, maybe?"

Akane felt herself flush. She was happier. This morning she had woken up with the same stupid smile she'd fallen asleep with. There was a spring in her step that she'd been missing for some time. It was silly and immature, but she couldn't stop the giddy butterflies in her stomach at the prospect of what lay ahead. "I've always been a pretty happy person."

"That's not what I mean." Kaori replied, scrutinizing her friend's face carefully. After a moment, she exclaimed. "You've met someone!"

Akane almost choked on her udon broth. "W-what?! I haven't...I mean it's not--" She sputtered.

Kaori snorted, folding her arms over her chest and leaning back triumphantly. "You can't fool me Akane Tsunemori. You're in love. After all this time, it's finally happened. So who's the lucky guy? Where did you find him? When do I get to meet him?"

"Uh...well, it's complicated." Akane laughed nervously under the onslaught of questions. This had gotten out of hand faster than she expected. While she would be overjoyed to introduce Kogami to her family and friends, it wasn't really feasible with the Sibyl System still in place.

"Complicated?" Kaori eyed her doubtfully. "What's there to be complicated?" Akane knew the moment when the thought hit Kaori. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in shock. "Don't tell me it's that guy! The one you work with...that Bad Boy subordinate?!"

Akane felt her face turn beet red. She was a tough as nails inspector who had tracked down and apprehended countless dangerous criminals. How could she still blush at the mere mention of Kogami? For obvious reasons, she hadn't informed Kaori that she no longer worked with her so-called Bad Boy. Had she been so transparent about her feelings that even her friends had picked up on it? Akane had barely been aware of her own feelings back then.

"It is him, isn't it?!" Kaori pressed.

Taking a deep breath, Akane calmed herself. "There are some things we need to work out, but..." Her heart thudded in her chest. "But yes, it is him." It would always be him. Her family had spent the last few years trying to set her up with potential partners. All in vain. How could any man ever measure up to Shinya Kogami? What man could ever be as brave, smart, compassionate, and fierce as Kogami?

While Kaori jokingly planned her wedding, Akane finished her meal. The fantasy was fun, but she had to find him first. Would he even be interested in her that way? He cared about her...that much she knew if their brief reunion was anything to go by. Nevertheless, how deep did his feelings run? If they were successful and put an end to Sibyl, would he be the type to settle down? With her?

Her communicator interrupted her thoughts and Kaori's plans. It was time to head in to work. Saying goodbye, Akane rushed to the MWPSB to finally set events in motion.