The Art of War

Laying Plans

'Lower your expectations. Realistically seen none of the persons in this room will ever work on a case about a serial killer - let alone one with an assassin.'

Those were the words of his instructor. Probabilities never were part of Yukine's circle of friends. He always magically attracted unlikely events. Therefore it shouldn't have surprised him that his first case was dealing with a serial killer.

At first it seemed to be an ordinary murder. Perfect for a newly minted police office like Yukine. However a few days after the start of their investigation a second victim appeared and slowly the case was showing its true face.

Two weeks into his professional life and Yukine was investigating the case of a serial killer that already had claimed four victims. No information about the culprit at all. Only the method of murder and the fact, that there had always been a bell at the crime scene, connected the cases with each other.

A strained mood laid over the precinct and marked the faces of everyone involved.

The relief was comprehensible when a few hours ago it had been announced that a cooperation with a specialist had been requested.

Incomprehensible was the choice, which offices will work together with the specialist. Why should someone like him, a newbie, be given the chance to work with a seasoned expert? Wouldn't you normally choose someone for this position that had earned it through his hard work?

Even more incomprehensible was only one thing in the whole situation for Yukine: Why were his colleagues giving him pitying glances? Shouldn't they envy him?

Anxious Yukine looked around the office. Any moment Hiyori will enter the room to take him to the first meeting with the specialist. When the moment finally arrived Yukine rushed to take the carefully sorted case records from his desk, which – it had to happen – slipped out of his hands and fell to the floor with a loud slam.

All attention was on Yukine, he felt the stares on his back. Only when Hiyori started to pick up the scattered records he was able to get out of his frozen state. Quickly he bent down and helped picking up the records, he didn't care about the right order at all.

After all the records were collected and the two had left the room, Hiyori looked at him with an encouraging smile. "There is no reason to be nervous, Yukine-kun. You will probably understand quickly why the others behave like this."

"I don't get an explanation before I meet the specialist?" Yukine inquired. Shortly after realizing the unexpected mood after the announcement of their cooperation with the specialist, Yukine had tried to find out the reason behind it. However everyone he asked about it refused to give an answer. Even Kazuma, who even after this short while took up the role of a mentor for Yukine, blocked all his questions.

"You have to understand their silence. The first action during the meeting will be the signing of a confidentiality agreement," Hiyori explain while she crossed the street. When she saw Yukine's bewildered expression a short laugh escaped over her lips. "The specialist wants to protect his identity and the identities of his sources. Only when this condition is met will he work together with us."

Unfortunately Yukine could comprehend the worries of the specialist, even when it increased his agitation and curiosity once more.

Due to his attraction for unlikely events he always tried to challenge live well prepared. Naturally this meant he didn't peculiarly enjoyed having no information about his future partner in this case. The uncertainty to not even know if it will be a man or woman increased his unrest with every step he took.

After close to an hour – at least it felt like this for Yukine, probably only 10 minutes had passed – they reached their destination. Hiyori entered a small café, which hid in a quiet side street, and immediately went for a table in the corner of the room. A visual cover consisting of a hedge-shaped, indefinable greenery made it impossible to see if the specialist was already there. What wasn't the case, as it turned out.