Beastars: The Discover Check

Chapter 129: Living in A Shadow

"The van is clear," the lieutenant said over the radio.

"Delta one in position," a SWAT member said back.

"Delta two set," another hailed.

"We're all set," the lieutenant said to the chief.

The canine jogged across the alley, giving a thumbs up to a hidden team of SWAT in a truck trailer. They nodded in the affirmative.

"We're all clear," the lieutenant said into the radio before hiding himself in shadow with other SWAT members. The chief herself hid across from him with another team.

"What's he unloading?" she heard over the open channel in her earpiece. "Play toys?"

"Some old braud's got an attic full of antiques and jewelry he sells for her," the van driver said, parked in the middle of the alley. Inside the vehicle were two other cops keeping an eye on him and making sure he followed orders for this plan to go down. One of them wasn't that talkative. The other, well...

"The landlady," they said. "He bludgeoned her to death."

"Ooh," the driver groaned in disbelief. "For a second I thought he might, might...be a thief. But a kidnapping killer? Not a clue."

"You do anything to tip him off," the cop warned. "You'll go down as a kidnapper accomplice, you got me?"

Masumi heard shuffling over the radio as the driver started fidgeting and turning.

"What if he shoots me?" the badger asked.

"I'll live," the cop answered, not helping the situation. "He's not going to shoot you. Every sharpshooter in the city's out there."

The badger started breathing heavily.

"I don't see anyone," he said, starting to panic.

"Every building," the cop reassured. "Every roof."

Masumi turned down the alley at the sound of another vehicle pulling in. A van, almost identical to the one the thrift store owner had, was pulling in slowly. The time was coming soon.

"He's here," the driver said, panic becoming apparent in his voice.

"Don't talk," the cop ordered. "Don't look at me!"

"He's getting closer," the badger observed.

"Sam," the cop warned.

The van was slowly pulling closer, cautious of the area.

"Why aren't they stopping him?" the badger asked, panic set in his shaking words.

"They need a few seconds to close off the rear flank," the cop answered, becoming annoyed. "If he sees you talking he's gonna know it's a set up."

"He's almost here," they spat with fear.

The van was close enough now that she could see the driver through the glass.

"Damnit Manabu," Masumi said into the radio, keeping to the shadows. "Shut him up."

"Don't talk!" the cop ordered firmly.

The van pulled to a stop a small car's width from the other.

"If your lips keep moving I'm gonna kill you myself," the cop warned.

That worked. A little too well. Masumi saw the badger's eyes widen and he sat stiff as a board in the driver's seat. The other driver leaned out of the window and the jackal peered around.

"Sam," the suspect called. "Bring it over here."

Masumi looked across the alley to her lieutenant. He held up his fingers, the tips apart by only a little. They just needed a small amount of more time. The badger didn't pull forward and Masumi did her best to keep her head. This wasn't going to fall apart on them. Not after weeks of hunting this guy.