Freak ~Juuzou x Reader AU~

Chapter 34: Main Suspect

Numbness.

It consumes me. It swallows me. It is me. I am it. I feel nothing. I can think nothing. I sense nothing.

No.

Wait.

That's not right. Not wholly. Not solely.

I do feel something. Hollow. Like a shell that the breeze blows through, but the breeze is my thoughts. Flickering in fleeing sprawls. Just snippets. And there is a soft humming – a buzzing – in my ears.

It's been there for a while now. For the last forty minutes as I've sat here, decompressing with a cup of tea Abara had given me. I've barely touched it, though. I can't bring myself. I don't know if my stomach could hold it down.

Juuzou and Abara stepped out shortly after Abara got my tea. I don't know where they went. They're somewhere around here, but I don't have the heart to go look for them. Not while I'm trying to gather myself.

And all the things I've been presented with.

They have a card number and the name of the cardholder. And video footage of said cardholder at some of the victim's workplaces. That person is someone I know quite well.

Clay.

It feels bizarre to even be thinking this. That he plays some part in all this. But both Abara and Juuzou saw the footage. They saw his face in the tape, and Randy came in earlier and confirmed it was Clay. And the number...it belongs to Clay.

All of it. It's all been confirmed. But it doesn't feel real. I mean, Clay...he's done so much for me. He's even offered to help locate Rui.

My throat goes dry.

What if he offered that because...because... God, I don't even want to think it. But now it's lingering, being dangled in front of me. Taunting me at this sickening rate. But it makes sense, kind of. Because what if he offered that because he knows where she is?

What if he's known this whole time?

God. I hate that I'm thinking this. I physically hate it. It's sickening. Almost as if I might throw up. It's disgusting.

All this time, Clay has been so kind. Just like a gentleman. He's been nothing shy of polite. He's never once made me feel uncomfortable or uneasy. In fact, I've often felt quite the opposite.

Even last night, he was so understanding. So kind. Surely, a person partaking in something so vile wouldn't be so sweet. There's no way. It doesn't seem plausible.

Then I remember.

The call he got this morning. How he rushed out of there. How he was there and gone so quickly. It was almost as if...

My eyes widen. Abara and Juuzou were able to finally get ahold of the cardholder's name this morning. They probably wasted zero time in proceeding. At which, as they got the information they needed, anyone who knew who Clay was probably...

No.

There's no way. Just no way. Unless...

I nearly burst to my feet. My knees tremble even though my body feels hollow. But I go. I walk, aimlessly at first. Then I hear Juuzou and Abara. They are both standing next to a vending machine, talking quietly. About what, I don't know, but I numbly make my way to them.

It is Abara who sees me approach. "Y/N? We were just about to head back. Hmm? Is something wrong?"

So much. So fucking much is wrong.

I look at Juuzou. He stands, silently observing me. His eyes are hollow and cold, his lips pressed in a hard line. But he doesn't seem surprised to see me. Maybe I'm not surprised either.

"He left. In a hurry," I say.

"What?" Abara asks.

I don't look at him. I remain fixated on Juuzou. "Clay. He left this morning in a hurry after getting a call. He didn't say who it was, but he said it was an emergency."

He continues to stare at me. Then: "What time was this?"

"I don't know. Close to 8:30, I think."

He glances at Abara. "That was right after we received the footage from the hotel and The Cline (random restaurant name I made up)."

Abara nods, "Yes, it is."

Abara discards his trash in the bin and briskly makes his leave, leaving Juuzou and me alone. But I don't really know what to think or feel. That's not new, though. That's how I've been feeling. Still, I am curious.

"What does all this mean?" I ask, feeling so, so small.

Juuzou looks at me, then replies, "It means he might be trying to run." He throws his own trash away. "It also means, we need to move into action." He looks at me – deep into my eyes, and suddenly, his cold stare has melted away. Suddenly, his eyes look so warm and soft. And safe. "Y/N, until Key is in TSC custody, you are now in under our protection."

This stirs me. "What? Under protection? Why?"

He cuffs my wrist and gingerly pulls me along as he jogs. "Because if he is guilty, and if he really wanted to, you could be targeted again. So until Clayton Key has been brought in, you are under our care."

Maybe I want to fight this. Maybe I want to protest. But I don't. I don't because at some point, I remember what happened. I was attacked in the dead of night by ghouls. My child was taken away from me. Coworkers were killed and left as taunts.

And Clay is the main suspect.

**Ello, ello lovelies! Well, things are rolling! Thoughts? Thoughts? Y'all shocked? Or did y'all expect this? Any idea as to what will happen next? Stay tuned to find out! I am excited to see what else will happen! But as always, thank you so, so, so much for everything! I truly appreciate all the support! Thank you! Y'all are awesome sauce! Wuv yous!! <3**

-Noel Ross