RECLAIM

Chapter 7. Jigsaw Puzzle

~ Arden ~

What a massive house. Scratch that, this place is an ancient Japanese palace, Arden thought as they maneuvers through the maze. Sure, for a country with such a good financial sphere, it's bound to be abundance at some corner. But when Laith said that she just remembered a good source for information, he didn't think it will come from a place like this.

As they followed their guide and take what he counts as the ninth left turns, Arden can't help but acknowledge the grandeur. Long open corridors, with either some type body of water or gardens bordering them. Several arc bridges, pavilions, small temples and great halls as far as the eye can see. Not to mentions countless pieces of statues and artworks that litter every crook. After what seems like forever, they finally stop and asked to take a seat in some kind of a Zen theme living room.

"I have a bad feeling about this," he said as soon as they were left alone. This level of excess usually comes with a used free jail card.

She on the other hand, seats like nothing fazes her. "Are you always this, I don't know, careful?" is what he gets as a reply.

Arden shrugged. "Maybe. I can ask you the same. Are you always this reckless?" He sits next to her.

"Reckless?" She tilted her head.

"You take down and restraint a witness, goes to pursue a stalker alone and now this." Arden glanced at her before continuing, "You don't think it's reckless?"

"I take that as a compliment." Laith gave him one of those half smiles. "Stick around us Reclaimers. You'll get used to our antics, eventually."

"That's what scares me." Arden sighed. "Back to the original topic, are you really sure that whoever lives here will offer any assistance?"

The sound of a door sliding cut their conversation short. An elderly man wearing dark coat approaches them, accompanied by three people; two men and one woman. The old man then sits not far from Arden and Laith. One man and the woman stand behind him while the other man leaves after serving them tea and something that looked like small pastries.

"Long time no see, Wolf. You come unannounced as usual, I see," the old man opens up the conversation. "But, this time you bring someone with you. Flavor of the month perhaps?" His smile implied nothing.

"Men will only make my life more complicated than it already is, Mr. Toda." Laith plastered her own smile. "This is my temporary partner, Enforcer Arden Rush. Rush, this is Mr. Akira Toda. Surely you know who he is?"

Arden paused. She called him Rush. A warning? Better treat this carefully then. "Of course. Nice to finally able to meet you in person, Mr. Toda," he lied smoothly. He has absolutely no idea who the old man is.

"Welcome to my resident," Mr. Toda said before one of his attendants handed him one of those honest to goodness archaic paper. "Now, let's get down to business. You need some information about these two missing persons, a loan and lastly, this shadowy figure?"

So, her e-Link was able to capture something after all, Arden thought.

"Yes," she answered.

"Ah..." Mr. Toda smile, almost unnoticeably, change. At the same time, Arden can tell that his partner suddenly becomes tensed. Trouble in paradise.

Laith picks the tea cup up. "Mr. Toda, should I remind you that this is an official business."

That only makes Mr. Toda smiled bigger. "A very urgent kind, I presume."

"Far from it." Laith puts down her cup and begin to chew on the cake while he's busy trying to dissect the atmosphere. It becomes heavier as the seconds tick by. Arden can also see Mr. Toda attendants mood were shifting. He has a real urge to reach for his gun now.

Mr. Toda lays the paper on the table beside him. He then tapped his index finger at the arm rest, apparently lost in thought.

"Mr. Toda, do I need to remind you about some adventures we make when you're still an active Reclaimer?" Laith finally said and for some reason, Arden felt that she just poke a tiger with a stick.

Mr. Toda stopped. He then looked at them, for what seems like years before finally saying, "Now child, don't be such a bummer." He chuckled. "I just want to know more. This old man is lonely."

Arden guts say they better play Russian roulette than to play catch up with this guy. "I'm sorry, but we're pressed by time. So, can you help us?"

"Maybe a little. As you say, time pressed on us all." Mr. Toda gesture to one his attendants who in turn give him yet another paper. "For the two missing persons, I am sorry to say that we still can't find anything more than you already know. We will keep digging. As for the loan, Kinkaku?"

"At first glance, the kidney loan seems to come from a proper channel," the male attendant with an interesting name, answered. "There's one small thing though. She's listing her only asset, her home, as a mortgage in the papers. Yet, upon deeper scrutiny, she appears to write a significant amount of money instead."

"That's a felony. Under the law, that's akin to buying the organ she's renting."Arden frowned. "And nobody in the system notice?"

Laith folded her arms. "Not to mention, if she has that much money, why bother taking a loan in the first place?"

"Child, it's your job to find that out." Mr. Toda sips his tea. "As for the shadowy figure, Ginkaku?

"Yes," this time it's the female who answered. "Please accept this." She moves forward to hand them a paper. "We think the person listed on that paper will be able to tell you more than we do. Feel free to contact him."

Arden and Laith peer at the paper and nod to each other. There's only one name, an address and a phone number. Guess they will have to look into it themselves.

"Thank you for your help."Arden folded and tucks the paper in his pocket. "Please excuse use, but we really must go now."

Mr. Toda smile fell. "Can't the two of you stay for a little chat?"

Laith slightly shakes her head. "I'm sorry. But, we really need to go."

Mr. Toda rests his hands on the chair arms. "You do know that without my permission, there's no way the two of you can leave, right?" That dangerous smile was back.

"We do. But, I got the feeling that you'll let us go," Arden shoots.

Laith smiled also back. "There's nothing in this world that can interest you better than a mystery, especially if it involve a crime. How about we came by sometime in the future and maybe we can share some stories?"

"You got me there child. All right, I will let the two of you go. This time." Mr. Toda chuckled again. "Just remember one thing, the information I disclosed never come for free."

Laith bow a little. "Of course, sensei."

Mr. Toda shakes his head. "Don't be so formal. And do comes back to visit."

"We will." Not in this lifetime, they're not, Arden adds inside.

"Oh, I will give the two of you some wise words as an incentive," Mr. Toda said when Arden thinks that they're maybe going to survive this encounter after all. "When you meet the person on that paper, do bring some back up, will you?"

Arden sighed. Great, here they are. Escaping a tiger den only to land in a dragon nest. No problem. It's apparently listed as his daily routine now.

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Ancient palaces... aren't they great? Share you thoughts for candy? ;p

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