Project Phoenix (ReiXShiho Case Closed Fanfic)

Chapter 1 - Birth of the Phoenix - 2

"The least I would expect after saving someone is a "thank you"."

"Thank you. Now, we're even." Although the timing was wrong, Rei was still amused by Shiho's sarcasm. "To the left," Shiho ordered.

Rei obeyed and turned the steering wheel, not because of the gun pointing at his head. Being part of the reconnaissance party of the BO, he had learned various self-defense techniques through training and missions, enough to let him have the upper hand in his current situation. From the corner of his eye, he could distinguish the hint of fear in Shiho's eyes. Snatching the gun away from an opponent, especially one who was afraid, was a piece of cake. However, he would have to resort to violence, and the last thing he wanted was to hurt Shiho.

Rei's current plan was to stall until he found a non-violent way to escape. He had considered coming clean, unveiling his secret identity as a police officer. He had always felt guilty that he had discovered Shiho's most important secrets, while she knew nothing about him. However, Rei knew that he would feel even more guilty when the knowledge of his secret identity would bring danger to Shiho.

They were then driving on a hill, away from the city lights.

"Stop the car," Shiho's cold voice resounded through the car after a couple of minutes on the hill.

The place was deserted, with thick forests on both sides of the small road. The absence of light mixed with the silence of the outskirts complemented the heavy darkness.

A pretty convenient place for a murder... He didn't have much time.

"Have you ever considered why I saved you?" he asked with a casual tone.

"To hand me in to the Organization and to get a promotion for your efforts," Shiho replied with a matter-of-fact tone.

"Seriously, I'm hurt." He actually was. Although he had expected Shiho to answer this way, a tiny part of him secretly wished that she would - one day - let down her guard around him.

An idea suddenly crossed his mind. He added, "I would never do any harm to Elena-san's daughter."

He saw the eyes widen in surprise.

"Mom... how... how do you know her?"

"She saved my life," he began, nostalgia deep in his tone. Rei decided that Shiho had the right to know at least this. "I was nine, and my parents had just died in an accident. At that time, I couldn't understand. Why did my parents abandon me? I am just a child. Why did all these other children still have their parents? The world seemed to be mocking me. I hated everything and everyone. I tried my best to destroy myself, because I wanted so badly to get back at my parents, at the world. At around this time, Elena-san came into my life. She told me to stop fighting and to become a good boy."

He could see Elena-san and her sweet smile. Her voice was stern, but covered with her familiar sweetness that always soothed him. He continued dwelling deeper in his memories as the emotions resurfaced, "Elena-san taught me that the world wasn't bad, that I was the one making it seem bad. She taught me that hating was futile, that, if I wanted to find happiness, I needed to love first."

Shiho was silent, but Rei knew that she was not convinced. He could still identify a spark of doubt in her eyes.

"In my left pocket. There's photo in a wallet."

He could feel the gun against his head tilt as Shiho stretched in her child's body to reach the wallet. She skillfully opened the wallet and extracted the said photo.

"It's..." This time, the shock was greater.

"Your mother gave it to me." Rei was lying. The photo had been attached to the documents he received for his current mission from the Japanese Police. However, this lie was the best resort he could think of at the moment. Shiho was not one to trust easily, after all.