Psycho Pass: Way of the Wolf

Day 05

 "Kogami, I can't believe you shot and killed the hostage!"

"It was the right thing to do," he argued. "She was a terrorist. You were paying too much attention to the kidnapper and didn't notice she had a weapon behind her back."

The recruits were on the move from the combat simulation building to another area of the beach for hand-to-hand training. Kogami was looking forward to being outside again after spending the better portion of the morning being run through a labyrinth of combat simulations. Reliance on the Sybil System had made them slower than the rest of the officers, who did not hesitate to fire their weapons.

Lost or unsettled thoughts, any indecision, had consequences. The scenario played out randomly with the hostage proving to be a difficult obstacle. Royce and Rodriguez inadvertently shot the innocent hostage while taking down the kidnapper. The Jessup brothers both shot and killed the innocent hostage, the kidnapper, and pair of patrolmen who had come to their aid as back up.

Without the Dominator's directional voice to guide her, Akane had been slow to react in a few situations, which showed the true value of the Enforcers to their colleagues and military handlers. After the final scenario, it was apparent that Akane was the finger on the trigger, and that Kogami was the real weapon.

"But how did you know she had a weapon? It's not like you had any better view of her hands than I did."

"I just had a feeling. It's like Masaoka always says, a hunting dog knows how to sniff out one of his own." He kept walking, swiftly transitioning to the next assigned area. His pace forced her to jog alongside him to keep up.

"But Kogami, wait!" she cried after him. "They're watching you. Tarkinson and the SEALs. They're watching your every move."

"And that's different how? Sybil is always watching. Ginoza probably called and gave them a heads up."

"It's like they're a pack of wolves, studying one of their own."

"And how's that a bad thing?"

"Because they recognize you."

When he did not acknowledge her comment, Akane grabbed him by the arm and dug in her heels, forcing him to stop and look down at her. "Do you even want to know where I went after the combat sim was done? Tarkinson pulled me into a conference room. He wanted to know if we—if you—were some sort of spy."

"Me? That's nonsense. Japan and the US have been allies for over a century."

"Kogami, they think that your are an operative embedded in this program to—"

"To do what? Learn how to torture cops?"

"Did you see the look on Tarkinson's face when you shot the hostage?"

"No, because I had to keep the kidnapper in my sights to prevent him from drawing down on you."

"Kogami, just watch yourself. I think you make them nervous."

Kogami stopped again, just long enough to look down into her face. "Do I make you nervous, Inspector Tsunemori?"

"Of course not," she panted.

"Then let's chalk up their nerves to me doing what I do best: being myself." Kogami sat down in the sand next to Royce and Rodriguez, giving each man a fist bump as Akane sat down beside him.

"Are mom and dad fighting?" Rodriguez quipped. He fell silent with a glare from Royce. "What?"

"Just shut up," Royce said.