The price of truth (Sleepless Town season 2)

Chapter 12

Daichi arrived at his desk feeling like he hadn't rested at all that day. After Atsumu's statement a few days earlier, his mission had been to try to extract information about the attack from Kuba Naotoshi. Unfortunately, he still got nothing.

His boss, Kazama, was aware of the situation. Somehow different crimes ended up related, so entangled that it even seemed nonsensical and meaningless. Was half of the crime in Tokyo carried out by the Azumane family and their henchmen? Well, the answer seemed to be yes. When you're the leader of Japan's underworld, criminals come to you for help, support, or both, so it made sense somehow.

"How are you doing, son?"

"Ah, Kazama-san! I just arrived, what's going on?"

"Let's change tactics with that son of a bitch Kuba. I need your help in case something gets out of control. I've grown tired of being correct, polite and respectful to a criminal of this caliber."

Daichi nodded without hesitation. He followed Kazama to Interrogation Room #1 , he entered first, Kazama then slamming the door, which startled Daichi.

Kuba Naotoshi was there. With his disgusting scar, his tattoo on his bald head and the murderous look in his eyes, or rather in the eye, because after capturing him, Daichi and the others discovered that the scar—which had gotten dangerously close to his left eye socket— left him blind in the left side.

Kazama sat in the chair in front of the criminal while Daichi leaned against the back wall, just behind Kuba. From his position he could see the rage in Kazama's eyes, the desire he had to lock him in a cell on death row until the time of his execution arrived.

"I've grown tired of you and your dirty companions," Kazama began. His finger tapped rhythmically on the table as Kuba Naotoshi smirked at him. "Up until now we were patient. We tried hard to get you to answer our questions. But you refused every damn day, you've been the vow of silence that you made to the son of a bitch Azumane Asami for months."

Kuba Naotoshi growled like a beast. The loyalty that united all those criminals with Azumane Asami remained a mystery. Daichi didn't understand what he gave or promised them so that they'd all defend him tooth and nail, so that they'd obey him like lapdogs, so that they'd be willing to die rather than betray their boss. It was sickening, it was scary the power that a single person possessed. Sometimes Daichi wondered if Azumane Asami's true strength might not be equivalent to the army of an entire country.

"Are you talking today or not?"

"Don't even dream of it, asshole," Kuba Naotoshi replied, showing his teeth.

"Good." Kazama stood up with his hands resting on the table. His gaze was fierce, as fierce as that of the criminal. "You've decided you want to play bad cop. Let me list the crimes you've committed or been involved in so far that we know of; it will only take 20 seconds of research to find as many.

"You and your companions burned two girls alive to ashes in Kanto; a few months ago you beat up two young men, raped another, kidnapped other two, one of which was tortured until he lost his mind and the other was murdered. I'm sure to you this is just Saturday night fun, but to the rest of the world these are crimes, each more serious than the last. Believe me when I tell you," Kazama raised his voice to release some of the rage and fury he had inside, "that I'll find Azumane Asami, Azumane Shizuko and their fucking son Azumane Asahi, and all of you will rot in the dirtiest and most disgusting prision of all of Japan until I can see firsthand how each of you are hanged on the gallows until you die!"

The smile disappeared from Kuba's face to be replaced by a warning expression, accompanied by gnashing of teeth and a bestial growl.

Kazama looked at him with disdain before standing up straight. "You'll regret this. You'll go to hell for ruining the peace of this country," he finished.