The hours stretched into an eternity. Dawn broke, painting the sky outside the still-shuttered windows in unseen shades of pink and gold. Aiko had drifted into an uneasy sleep on the sofa, the psychic tendrils connecting her to the wards a low, constant hum in the back of her mind. Kaito hadn't slept at all. He sat in the armchair opposite her, a statue carved from shadow and caffeine, his senses on high alert.
Suddenly, Aiko gasped, sitting bolt upright, her eyes flying open.
"What is it?" Kaito was instantly on his feet, crossing the room to her side.
"The scroll," she breathed, her hand going to her chest, where she felt a distinct, sharp tug. "Someone just touched the scroll. The ward activated."
Kaito's eyes narrowed. "Can you feel them? Who is it?"
Aiko closed her eyes again, pushing past the initial jolt, focusing on the psychic thread that had just sprung to life. It wasn't just a signal; it was a connection. She could feel the person on the other end, their spiritual signature now clearly marked.
It felt... familiar. Cold. Ambitious. Resentful. Like stagnant water.
"It's the man from the office," she whispered, remembering the feeling from the day before. "Your cousin. The one who was passed over for promotion." She focused harder, pulling a name from the faint signature linked to the feeling. "His name... Kenzo?"
Kaito's face hardened into a mask of cold fury. Ishikawa Kenzo. His uncle Jiro's second son. Ambitious, bitter, and foolish. Not the mastermind, perhaps, but certainly a willing pawn.
"Where is he now?" Kaito demanded, his voice a low growl.
Aiko tracked the feeling. The psychic thread was moving away from the archives, heading towards the estate's east wing – Jiro's personal domain. "He's moving fast. Heading towards Jiro's quarters."
Kenzo was reporting back to his father. Jiro was the snake in the grass.
Kaito didn't hesitate. He activated his comms earpiece. "Kenji. Seal the East Wing. No one enters or leaves without my direct command. Detain Ishikawa Kenzo. Quietly. Bring him to the library."
He cut the connection and turned to Aiko, his expression grim but resolute. "You did it. You found him."
The relief Aiko felt was quickly overshadowed by a cold dread. They had caught the rat, but the head of the snake was still coiled in the shadows. And it was family.
"What happens now?" she asked, looking up at Kaito.
He offered her his hand and pulled her gently to her feet. The commander was back, but the partner remained.
"Now," Kaito said, his voice pure ice, "we attend a family meeting."