SAO FB: Scars

Into the Heart

"Please note that Flight ANA105 is departing in 6 minutes. Passengers of Flight ANA105 please head to Gateway 8," the PAX announcer announced.

Kaito grabbed his check-in luggage from conveyor belt and rolled through customs since he was a citizen. As he walked through the clean hallways, he reached the main airport exit and found two men in suits standing by the door. In their hands was his false alias. Kaito walked up to them and they stared back at him.

"Name?" one of them asked.

"Tamashiro..." Kaito replied.

"Your business?"

"A fishing trip."

The two men stared at him for a moment before whispering, "Follow us please."

Kaito hesitantly followed them into a blacked-out SUV. They took his luggage and placed it in the back. The rear door opened and Kaito stepped inside. A guard closed the door behind him.

"I hope you're right," a voice sounded.

Kaito faced the source of the voice and saw a tall Japanese man with glasses staring back at him. He continued, "I don't know how you and Kirito find stuff like this."

Kaito placed his backpack on the seat next to him and answered, "He found it first technically. I just called Daichi to confirm it."

"Regardless. If what you say is right, this can totally change the landscape of VR in Japan. Maybe the world."

"So now what? I'm just kidnapped for the rest of the time?"

"Technically, you're on a fishing trip. We settled everything with your employer before you got here."

"So I'm tapping into my vacation days already?"

"You'll be reimbursed as per government policy."

"I better be. I already had a small amount of vacation days."

The car continued to drive through Tokyo. Kaito listened to Kikuoka's briefing. He handed him a case file. Kaito opened the manila folder and saw three faces. A fourth face was crossed out with a red sharpie. He recognized the face as Shu Okamura.

"That one's off the board," Kikuoka stated. "You really held your own out there. I'm impressed."

Kaito grabbed the photo of Shu and placed it in the back of the folder. Kikuoka explained that there is a possible location of the remaining three players.

"And what of it?" Kaito asked. "Did you capture them? Are they under custody?"

"We can't touch them yet. Not until we get clearance and a warrant," Kikuoka continued. "Furthermore, they know that we know and have placed three judges under their thumbs. That means we can't secure a warrant."

"No warrant means no capture."

"No capture means they can continue doing whatever they're doing in Cross Edge."

Kaito laid back in his seat and stared at the case file once more. He saw the main name on behalf of RATH and Japanese Virtual Internal Affairs.

"Daichi?" Kaito asked. "You're kidding me?"

"No. The agent who calls in the threat gets operational lead," Kikuoka replied.

Kaito whistled in amazement and closed the manila folder. The car pulled into a hotel's side entrance. The pair exited the van and into the hotel lobby. The barren lobby caused Kaito to shudder.

"Rest assured that whatever happens," Kikuoka stated, "this hotel is in the JSDF pension network."

"I'm not a part of the JSDF though."