If you've ever seen any spy movie or assassin movie then you'd know that every one of those assassins and spy's have a way of retrieving intel or information such as new jobs or maybe where to go and how. It's the same in this case, except unlike the other ones this one was legal.
"What is that?" The boy asked.
The two had the warehouse and were now close to a much safer section of the city, one that was close to the hotel they were staying at and one that was close to city hall. A highway is what separated them from their target. An old run down building that seemed to double as a convenience store, the only one on this street.
"Look, you see that guy?" Teddy pointed at a man with scars looking both ways before entering the 'shop'
"Yeah."
"Well, he's actually a sorcerer looking for work, these kinds of places are known as 'safe houses' because when your in them, technically the government can't touch you regardless of what crimes you commit." Teddy explained.
"Seriously, why would something like that exist?" Asked the boy.
"Its coz this country's going to shit, I just fucking hate that we can't go in there." Jericho took out a box of cigarettes, she then popped one into her mouth. Teddy placed his hand underneath the cigarette.
SNAP! SNAP!
He snapped twice creating a flame which lit the cigarette. "Thanks Ted."
"Yeah, its kind of dumb how fast we'd be out numbered and killed the moment we set foot in that establishment. That's the price we pay for doing things the government way."
"You mean the right way." She spoke taking a puff, "God I hate this fucking government, sometimes it feels like we're the only competent people in this country."
"True, but don't get too worked up about it, its not like we'll be doing anything to harm people who don't deserve it."
Jericho raised her eyebrows twice indicating that she was in agreement. A few minutes passed, then an hour and in this time Jericho's mind had drifted to a place she never thought she'd find herself again.
CRASH!
In that place, dishes broke, windows shattered and her mother cried, and sometimes so did she. In that place a lot of things happened to her, things she'd wish to forget. But even so if she thought for too long they'd come flooding back.
"Um… excuse me ma'am?"
Suddenly she was back in the real world, she turned to see another woman a bit taller than her.
"Your ears." She pointed out.
Jericho placed her hands to find a thick viscous liquid. It was blood.
"Damn it!" She cursed taking out her cloth. Wiping her ears. "This always happens."
"Mama, look at the girl with white hair!" Shouted the woman's child, "She's so pretty."
Jericho followed the little girl's finger as it pointed to a man who had a lot of feminine facial features. But the most prominent of these were his green eyes and white hair.
'What's a person like that doing here…' She focused in on his eyes, they weren't completely squinty but they were almost there plus his face was more ordinary white than pale white.
This wouldn't have just be a normal looking man, if not for one single thing. And that is the fact that he walked into the convenience store. With him were two others, a boy and a girl with a strong fragment energy presence.
"Teddy are you seeing this?" She asked, "Teddy?" Only to realize that the two men she thought were standing next to her weren't anymore.
"God damn it!"
She looked around only to see them coming back with ice cream cones in their hands.
"You two can't be serious."
"Its your fault you zoned out." Said the kid.
"You better watch that tongue before I cut it out, I think I found the guy. But I need confirmation. Did he have white hair?" Jericho asked.
"Um… no I don't think he did."
"Well he could've just dyed his hair, so it doesn't matter. Did he have all those other features as well?" Teddy asked to confirm.
"Yeah, I think he's from the island too. Obviously their can't be that many left and there even fewer on this part of the continent. If it was the capital, then it would be less suspicious." Jericho confirmed.
"But I don't get it." Said the kid, "Why would he announce himself like that and why would he still around?"
"I can answer the second question." Teddy said, "Its probably because there is high level security at the only station that can lead you off the island. Maybe he could take a boat, but if he's still on Loliwe waters then killing him would be easy and not spark international conflicts."
"We still need to confirm his identity… but how." She grabbed her chin, when she suddenly turned to the kid. "I have an idea."
"Really, which is?"
Now they were both staring at the kid.
"Huh? No way man, what if recognizes me and tries to kill me?"
"Highly unlikely, in the underworld, while there is no law there is loyalty. If you just mind your business and take a good look at him confirming his identity. Afterwards your free to go"
He looked at both of them surprised, "Seriously, you ain't gonna snitch?"
"Good god, we're knights not police, and since you only did grunt work I can blame ya. Do this and we're square." Jericho gave him a pat on the back.
"All right, bet. Just gotta look at him right. That's all?"
"Yeah, that's all." Teddy reassured him.
After looking both ways, the man finally decided to make his way across the street. Where after careful consideration made his way inside the store. But he didn't come out after a long time, approximately an hour. But it wasn't all lost, because the boy with white hair came out at that time followed by the same girl and boy with purple hair.
"Damn, did he bolt?"
"His fragment signature vanished when he entered the store, completely." Teddy said.
"So he must have been taken out. Fine we only have to options we either go over there and ask him or we trail him and… Teddy?" He had bolted to the man in white hair, "That dummy, now he'll definitely suspect us."
After a 3 minute talk he walked back. "He says he's not our guy."
"And you believe him?"
"Well, he wasn't really in town 'till today apparently."
"Like I said, and you believe him." Jericho sighed, "Let's trail him and see were he goes."
From a distance, the two watched as the man went about his business seemingly oblivious of what was occurring with the two people who had been watching him. First they went to a clothing store, next they went to a hotel and finally to everyone's surprise they booked a room at the hotel the two four and a half star sorcerers were staying at.
"Shit, has he been here this entire time?"
To answer all their questions the two went up to the lobby table.
"Tell me what room that guy with white hair is in." Jericho ordered.
"Sorry ma'am, can't do that because of privacy and stuff. If he personally asks for you then that's another issue." Said the man at the counter.
"You idiot he could be a murderer you know this is like aiding and abetting a criminal, right!" Jericho shouted.
"Fine, may I see your warrant?" The man stretched out his hand.
"Huh?"
"If you're with the police then I'd like a warrant before I allow you to investigate my customer."
"God damn it, I ain't a with the police, I'm with the fucking Vatican and I can …"
"Do whatever you want?" Asked the man, "Sorry, but I don't really care, so either get a warrant or get out of my face, you have no jurisdiction here."
Teddy feeling as though this entire thing was going to escalate decided to stop the altercation. "Yes we understand you perfectly."
"What, no we do…"
Teddy grabbed her and tossed her onto his back like a sack of potatoes, "Thank you for your time."
"Hey, Ted put me down already goddamn it!" She shouted, "I need to give this asshat a piece of my mind."
He moved out as people stared at them in disbelief.
"Hey, its alright, just calm down." Teddy gave her a pat, "We don't have to solve this case today or even ever, its just a way of passing time. And if we keep on making ourselves targets then obviously the man will catch on and eventually escape with no one ever catching him or her. So why don't we just relax, our jobs aren't on the line and neither are our lives."
Teddy knew the kind of woman Jericho was, she'd put her heart in everything she did no matter how mundane it felt or if it didn't matter to anyone else.
"So your saying we half-ass it?" She asked, her voice low.
"I would never ask that of you, all I'm saying is if we put our all, we do it in a smart way that doesn't affect the lives of those ignorant in this. That way people are safe without them feeling like their in danger. Isn't that our code?"
"Yeah, I guess."
He put her down. "Sorry for losing my temper Teddy."
"I'ts ok, how about an ice cream to cool you down. We can get Chocolate."
"Sure, but no sprinkles on mine."
***
We can now return to Akame and his group for a brief moment to check up on what they were doing. It would seem that they were able to rent a room and get some stuff from the store while they were at it. Time flew by quicker than any of them had anticipated and somehow night had come.
Tonight was a full moon, it spread it ashy Grey light across the courtyard that night.
"Yoo, I gotta go meet up with the guy." Akame told Gil and Catherine.
"I should come with you, to make sure you live through it." Catherine suggested as she sat on the couch.
"I think Gil might need your help more than me." He was refereeing to Gil was currently doing his daily 1000 push-ups.
"120…121…122…123… have fun…124…"
"Oh yeah, I'll make sure he does all 3000 of them."
"3000!? I thought it was only 1000, Akame!"
...
"It would appear that he has left us." Catherine sat on Gil's back, "Come now, you still have 2000 more to go."
TO BE CONTINUED