The Phantom Thieves of Hearts Pt. 2

Chapter 40: An Urgent Problem

Int. District Special Investigation Unit Building – Afternoon

Sae and Akechi are working through files in her office, trying to gain more information on Kaneshiro.

Goro Akechi: Were you ever able to get a hold of your sister?

Sae Niijima: She texted me back but said she had to prepare for some kind of assembly or something. Hopefully, that's keeping her mind busy. When she gets too stressed...never mind. Let's just focus on trying to find more information about this bastard.

Akechi picks up a couple of the files on Kaneshiro and starts reading them to himself.

Goro Akechi: How long have you been pursuing Kaneshiro? You already have so many files on him.

Sae Niijima: He's been a problem for years and I was actually assigned to prosecute him a couple years ago. The bastard got off, though, because we lacked the proper evidence.

Goro Akechi: As much as it pains me to admit it, he must be quite good at what he does, if he's managed to dodge the authorities for this long.

Sae Niijima: Yeah, but if we can pin that student's death on him, I'll have a chance of taking the bastard down for good. Plus, he's already killed one student from Shujin so what's stopping him from killing or harming more?

Goro Akechi: Hmm...all of this happened in Shibuya, correct? Do you think he's operating somewhere near there?

Sae Niijima: I'm pretty sure Shibuya has been the base of his operations for a while, now. That's where he conducts most of his "business."

Goro Akechi: Also, by the sound of it, he's targeted high school students, now. High school students do have a tendency to be quite naive...

Sae Niijima: What are you getting at?

Goro Akechi: What if he's using the high school students...or...recruiting them to help him with his business practices?

Sae Niijima: That's not a bad theory but, again, we don't have any proof of that.

Goro Akechi: I agree. Would you like me to do some investigative work in Shibuya and see what I can find? I can interview a few of the people on Central Street, where the incident with the Shujin student happened.

Sae Niijima: That would be helpful but for now, I need you to help me go through all of these files and see if we can find anything useful. There has to be something here we can use. We have to hurry. The more time we waste, the more people will get hurt because of this asshole.

Goro Akechi: I agree. This man seems incredibly dangerous and until he's stopped, nobody in Shibuya or at Shujin is going to be safe.

The two continue going through paperwork, trying to find any useful information on Kaneshiro that they can.

Int. Shujin Academy – After School

A student council meeting is being held in the student council room. Makoto, Eiko and the four other members are speaking with each other about the concerns the students are having. Makoto is lost in her thoughts, unable to hear what anyone is saying.

Student Council Member # 1: Makoto! Are you listening to us?

Makoto turns to the girl council member that is speaking to her.

Makoto Niijima: I'm sorry. My mind keeps wandering today.

Student Council Member # 1: The students are terrified about what happened to Mishima. A lot of them are too frightened to even go to Shibuya anymore, after school.