The Stripper and the Bartender [Victuuri/Viktuuri] (DISCONTINUED)

9.

*******

Everything passed in a blur. All Yuuri could process was the ringing in his ears and the sound of a speed dial. He couldn't hear the cries of his comrades or the sound of the sirens outside of the club.

There were two things that had stood out to him that night, and it was the blaring red and blue lights he saw as soon as he rushed outside to catch up with Viktor. When he arrived, he saw a single man being restrained by two cops. A light-brunette boy with black eyes fought between them, crying out that he wanted to see Guang. As Yuuri watched the event unfold, he noticed that boy glanced at him with his red eyes and tears streaming down his face. The ravenette couldn't help but feel bad for him.

He was snapped back into reality when Viktor came speed walking towards him.

"Let's go," He heard Viktor hiss, turning a heel and walking towards their car.

***

"Viktor! Listen to me!"

"No."

"What else could it be? You know damn well they didn't think we were back at the agency! They were gonna find us-" Yuuri's hands flew around frantically as he spoke.

"No!" Viktor cried. He was pacing around the room quickly, shaking his head and frowning. "That's not what I mean. What I'm saying is, how could they have kept him - and everyone else - in that place when a murder occurred?"

Yuuri paused and frowned. "Is this about those cops or..." He trailed off.

"I don't even know anymore." Viktor slouched onto the hotel bed and set his hands to his face. "I don't understand why Guang would've been murdered if it had nothing to do with the drug trade.

"They said it themselves. There were no weapons there or any evidence to prove...anything, other than the fact that Guang was killed intentionally."

Yuuri sat next to Viktor, watching him throw his pity party with groans and his emotionally wrecked expressions. He couldn't blame Viktor though, they'd seen a lot in the past hour.

"I mean, it could just be the killer's way of attracting us and saying 'hey, I killed them so you'd remember I exist!'" Yuuri stated. "Maybe it was Guang who was killed because the killer just picked someone randomly."

Viktor sighed. "We could just say it was the Quinn Killer. It may not seem like it at the moment, but at the end of the day, it matches up."

"How is that so?"

"About a year ago, I was on a case that included him kidnapping people and he'd torture them until he found a way to make them weak. Then he'd rape them and kill em'. Most of the victims were around 17-25 and male. I think he has a fetish. According to his files at least."

"I still think he just wants our attention," Yuuri replied. "But I think that maybe that could be why it was exactly Guang who was killed. Did you get any info on him?"

Viktor pushed himself up. "Sadly no. But I think we'll have to soon. The police aren't any good up here, so we need to take matters into our own hands."

"Isn't it odd though?"

Viktor frowned. "What do you mean?"

"When the shooting occurred, why didn't they close the place up or better yet, move the employees to another location so they could investigate that area?"

There was silence. Suddenly, Viktor's eyes widened and he quickly retrieved his work phone.

"Who're you calling?" Yuuri asked.

"Agent Plisetsky. We need him for assistance."

"Alright." On cue, Yuuri's own work phone began to vibrate on his bed and Yuuri got up to retrieve it.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Ackerman here. I'm calling in regards to-"

"I know." Yuuri cut him off. "One of your employees are dead because of us. We apologize in advanced and as soon as we reach out to his friend who was at the scene, we will pay for everything, including the funeral."

"How do I know that? What if this criminal kills us all because of you two?!"

"That's the thing, sir. We need you to switch locations to not only keep this case running, but to pay your employees and keep them safe. If you do this, we can give compromise in any way that is possible."

For a moment, there was silence on the other end. Yuuri worryingly glanced at Viktor, who caught his eye. However, Yuuri quickly turned when he heard a sigh on the other line.

"Fine. We can try our best to arrange that."

"Thank you so much-"

"However, I'd like to remind you that if any of my other employees, or my husband, end up in that danger zone again, I will not allow you two to continue this."

"Understood." With that, Yuuri ended the call and turned back to Viktor, who had put his phone onto the dresser and for some reason, couldn't help but watch Yuuri.

Yuuri's face heated up with embarrassment. "S-so Ackerman's a little pissed..."

Viktor looked down. "Well, I would be if one of my employees was murdered."

"So..."

"We should probably wait till tomorrow, to handle this...maybe sleep it off?"

"Well shit," Yuuri fake laughed. "I won't be, considering that the killer knows we're here!"

"Not in the hotel, dummy." Viktor remarked with a small smile on his face. "I made sure to tell the lady at the hotel desk to not mark us onto their list. Besides, there's a police station down the street. I'm sure the killer wouldn't even set foot on this street knowing that."

Yuri sighed in relief. "Hopefully."

For the rest of the night until the two fell asleep, Viktor and Yuuri watched TV and Viktor told a funny story he heard from a drunk girl in the strip club.

But that night, Yuuri hadn't noticed that while he was watching the movie, Viktor was admiring the intelligence Yuuri showed earlier.

***

After a week, Mr. Ackerman had told Yuuri of the location the new club would be. As the two prepared, Viktor suggested him and Yuuri would go to the police station and ask if they were covering the interview with Guang's friend.

The two had learned within that week that Guang's friend was a man named Leo De La Iglesia and that in fact, they weren't friends. According to Mr. Ackerman, Leo was his fiancé who apparently worked at home. From the way it was said, Yuuri could tell Ackerman and Leo were friends or at least knew each other.

When Yuuri and Viktor arrived at the police station, they were greeted by a desk lady.

"Hello. I'm Agent Viktor Nikiforov and this is Agent Yuuri Katsuki. We're here to request information in regards of the murder last night at the Atlanta Border Strip Club."

The lady frowned. "I'm sorry, what?"

"The murder of Guang Hong Ji last night. Are you not informed?"

The woman's face expressed sadness, "I'm sorry, we were never informed about a murder occurring at that strip club."