Forced Manipulation

Chapter Three

"So my wife came up to me today, and began lecturing me about how eating a ton of rice was bad for me, that it would go straight to my thighs and how I need to be eating less," Fudoki said, sitting in his patrol car with his patrol partner Akira. "So I told her that when she works a thirteen-hour shift and has to run after criminals and villains, then she can tell me what I can and can't eat!"

"Damn, so just a normal argument then?" Akira asked, cracking a smile. "Maybe you should listen to her, maybe then you can catch me when we run!"

The two had been on patrol for a few hours and weren't off until seven AM. While most cops would dread a shift that long, these two loved it. They had been friends since they had applied to the police academy, so the long nights would give them the time to joke around and talk about their families.

Fudoki let out a small chuckle, playfully punching Akira's arm.

"Fuck you dude." He chuckled some more. "I can still keep up with you!"

"In your dreams pal. In your-" Akira was cut off by the loud crackling coming from their radio, indicating that dispatch was about to call through.

"To any officers in the area, a neighbor heard a kid crying on Pomegranate street and they suspect that the child is being abused. They say the guy living there hasn't come out in three days, so they assume he's been doing this for those three days. If you're close, could you check it out?" She said, her voice followed with some loud static, causing the two to cringe slightly.

Fudoki immediately picked his radio up off its hook and put it to his mouth, he knew that they were less than a block or two away and if someone was being abused, he wouldn't want them to suffer more because they didn't respond.

"Dispatch this is Unit forty-one, we're around a minute from the destination. What's the house number?"

"4693 on Pomegranate drive."

"Ten-four," Fudoki said, putting the Walkie-Talkie back on its hook. "Looks like this night is going to be brutal."

"Agreed," Akira said, pushing a button on the center console, which caused the red lights that were sitting on the roof of the car to flash. The familiar red lights flashed, illuminating the vehicle and everything in a forty-foot radius with red.

The two sped down the street, not stopping until they had to turn onto Pomegranate street.

"Hey, turn the lights off," Fudoki said, his green pupils darting side to side, trying to find the house number. "We don't want to let this guy know we're here if he is abusing his child. God knows what he'd do if he thinks the kid called."

Akira nodded as he switched off the lights, enshrouding the vehicle in darkness. The two began to look for the house number, squinting slightly, as their eyes weren't used to the sudden darkness. After a couple of minutes of searching though, Akira tapped Fudoki's shoulder, his eyes not leaving the street.

"Stop the car! I found it!"

Fudoki nodded, pulling into the driveway. He shut the car off, unlocked the doors, and climbed out, Akira following closely behind. They walked up to the front door (which was open), but chose not to enter, as they wanted to see if someone would answer. Fudoki knocked on the door with a balled-up fist.

"Sir? This is the Musutafu Police Department! Come to the door!" Fudoki called out, trying to make sure that whoever was inside could hear him. "We want to talk!"

Akira pressed his ear against the glass door, see if he could hear someone walking towards the door or any sign of someone present inside. However, to his horror, he didn't hear signs of them coming to the door.