Navigator [Fugou Keiji: Balance Unlimited Fanfic] [Author's Edition]

Chapter 18

The three of us stood in front of the manor that we broke into a few days ago. "How is it?" Daisuke asked. "The broadcast from the SRV-Bug has been cut off at this point," said Suzue. "There are no humanoid signals within the mansion." "The guards from that day are all gone? Weird," I said.

Daisuke kicked down the door and we found a first aid kit on the table along with scraps of bandages, a bottle of alcoholic ointment, drops of blood, and a broken SRV-Bug. Haru placed his finger on the blood and rubbed it between his fingers. "Put your gun away. He's no longer here," said Daisuke.

"What is this place?" Haru asked as we entered another room. "Kambe Shigemaru was researching adollium here. We'll split up and look for clues," said Daisuke as he walked off. "Clues, you say," said Haru. "I'll go look upstairs." "I'll go this way then," I said. Haru grabbed the back of my shirt and said, "I'm not letting you go off on your own now."

"Who are you? My mom?" I asked. "Yes," he answered as he dragged me back into the elevator. I was looking at the buttons when I found a blood-stain next to the first-floor button. "What's this?" I asked and pressed my finger on a rectangular button above the first-floor button. We heard something creaking and I jumped into Haru's arms.

"Haru-kun!" I screeched. "Vivi, calm down. It's okay," he said as the wall behind us opened up to reveal a secret passageway. "Well, that was embarrassing," I said and turned red. We walked down the passageway until we reached the end to see what looked like a bullet train, but styled like a capsule. I took out my phone and called Daisuke. "Get your ass over here," I said.

**********

Haru and I were sitting across from Daisuke as the train took us to our destination. "Do you want revenge against your father?" Haru asked. "I just want to know the truth," said Daisuke. We got off the train and opened the door to the exit to find ourselves at Daisuke's mansion. "Wait? What? This is-" I stammered. "This place... Isn't this your house?" Haru asked.

"Daisuke-sama, Vivi-san." I looked up to see Suzue riding a motorized scooter toward us. Daisuke handed an envelope to her. "Is it all right?" she asked. "Yeah," he said and walked off. "Kato-sama, thank you very much," said Suzue and bowed. "It's nothing," he said and blushed. "Just ask her for her hand in marriage already," I whispered. "Hey..."

Haru and I caught up with Daisuke at Kikuko's place to see a pair of shoes. "He's here," I said. Daisuke slid the doors opened to find his father sitting on the floor. "My father was left-handed. However, you are..." My eyes widened in shock. "I am humbled by your keen insight," the man said as he took off the mask to reveal Hattori. "I would expect nothing less from Shigemaru-sama's child."

"So you..." said Haru when we heard someone approaching. "So it was you," said Daisuke as he saw his grandmother. "Why?" he asked. "The men of the Kambe family have always talked for show. Haru-san, Vivi-san. I should have peeled Daisuke-san away from you a lot sooner," said Kikuko. "Wait, you were planning to take my boyfriend away from the beginning?" I thought.

"I must now place you under arrest," said Daisuke. "Even if there were a court trial, it will take at least ten years before they lock down a verdict. I will not be alive for that long. Besides... We can say that birds of a feather flock together," said Kikuko. "Why did Mother have to be murdered?" Daisuke asked. "Did father really murder her?"

Kikuko went inside and sat down on the tatami mat. "If only he had the nerve to do so..." she said. "You hired your butler, imposing as his father, to kill his mother, right?" I said. "I will not forgive you," said Daisuke. I looked beside me to see Haru gone. "Haru-kun?" Then I realized that he had gone after Hattori.

"Father is still alive, isn't he?" Daisuke asked. "Shigemaru allowed himself to get distracted by one woman, and had been led away. He attempted to follow her death, and ended up like that," said Kikuko. Daisuke and I just stood there. "Sit down," she told us. Then I heard the faint sound of a gunshot. "On second thought, no thanks," I said and took off running.