Nogitsune by Amaris Laurent, Jonathan D. Alexanders IX

tranquil voice.
     
    David stopped and exhaled a deep breath. “I don’t know who did it, but I bet you this has something to do with Daiki’s murder.”
     
    “What does Daiki has to do with this?”
     
    David lowered his head.
     
    “David, why would this have something to do with Daiki’s murder?” asked Hayashi.
     
    “You know she’s dead because of me,” he said. “Neige was my informant. She was reporting to me and helping me build a case against Kento and that piece of shit Daiki.”
     
    Hayashi put his hand on David’s shoulder. “You can’t blame yourself for what happened to that girl in there. She knew very well what she was getting herself into. She also knew what kind of men those scumbags were and that they had to be taken down. They’re the reason why she’s dead, not you.”
     
    David looked Hayashi deep in the eyes. “I wish that were true.”
     
    “There’s only one way that Neige will rest in peace,” said Hayashi. “We find out who killed her, bring them to justice and put Kento and the entire Inato syndicate behind bars.”
     
    “Detective Hamada, we found this under the couch,” said one of the forensic detectives as he handed David a plastic bag with a prescription bottle in it with the name Ichiro Sato .
     
    “Any idea who this might be?” asked Hayashi.
     
    David balled up his fist and immediately his eyes took on a reddish hue. As Hayashi glared into David’s eyes, he began gasping for air as he clutched his chest. It was Hayashi’s slumping to his knees that brought David around and when he rushed over to him, his eyes had returned to normal.
     
    “Are you alright,” he asked?
     
    Hayashi nodded. “I’m fine! I think it was that tempura I ate for lunch.”
     
    “That prescription belongs to Ichiro. He’s one of Kento’s men. There was no reason for Neige to have anything that belonged to one of those scumbags here in her apartment. He did this to her.”
     
    Hayashi grinned after settling his body. “Well, let’s go pay Mr. Sato a visit, shall we?”
     
    ****
     
    When David and Hayashi arrived at the Night Nurses , David jumped out the car without saying a word to Hayashi. He stormed toward the doors and flashed his badge.
     
    “I’m here to see Ichiro,” he said to the bouncer.
     
    “Damn!” said Hayashi as he parked the car in the middle of the street and went after David.
     
    The bouncer looked at David and snickered, “Fuck you, cop! You know this is a yakuza establishment.”
     
    David’s eyes began to glow red. Before the bouncer could make another move, David quickly stepped to the side and kicked the bouncer’s knee in, breaking it instantly. The bodyguard fell to the ground as David took out his gun and went inside.
     
    Kato, one of Ichiro’s men, observing everything from a corner of the club, noticed a raging David coming in with his gun drawn.
     
    “Ichiro, we have company,” he said.
     
    Before David could get a foot in the door of the club, there were ten Inato soldiers with 45s aimed at him. As David got ready to aim his gun at Kento’s men and shoot, Hayashi entered the bar holding up his badge in one hand and holding down David’s hand with the other one.
     
    “Where’s Kento?” Hayashi asked.
     
    “He’s attending some business,” said Kato. “Why the fuck are you here?”
     
    “We’re here on official police business,” said Hayashi. “I need all of you to lower your weapons.”
     
    Kento’s men stood firm as they continued to aim their guns.
     
    “And why should we do that when you just trespassed on Inato territory?” said Kato. “You’ve assaulted one of our men and walked in here with a gun. We have every right to kill you.”
     
    “Trust me, you don’t want this kind of trouble,” said Hayashi. “What would Kento think if he finds out his men killed two police officers for coming to question a suspect in the murder of one of his employees? Even Sanko won’t be able to get him out