Chapter One

Hanzai Diga is a billion dollar corporation in Tokyo, Japan. The company focuses on many major crimes, some of which had gone world wide. Thousands of people come in everyday. They check in, find their folders in the mailbox in the main lobby, and drag their way to their desks. My cramped corner desk area was isolated from everyone elses. I rarely left my little world. I have my own coffee maker, i’m closest to the restroom, and my work can be turned in inside the secretary office directly across my peaceful sanctuary.

 

My father ran this elaborate unit of detectives, scientists, and policemen. He was always fascinated with the idea of solving crimes and giving back to the community. When i was smaller, my favorite games to play with my father were keikan to gōtō and Clue. We spent the hot summer days running around in the garden we took care of in the back. I was usually the robber. There was a small ditch behind the vegetables we grew towards the right of the backyard. It was my favorite hiding spot. As I ducked down in the ditch, I picked at the corn and carrots that grew in their cold ceramic beds. Bees would constantly fly around the the large leaves that sprouted from the soil. My mother didn't plant any flowers. She liked having the tall weeds and grass decorate the pint sized farm she had made for herself. Once the leaves were crowded with bees, I hid in my next favorite hiding spot; the tree. We had a large Japanese Maple tree that was almost perfectly centered in the middle of the sloped hill that was our backyard. The leaves were a bright pink in the spring. The vibrant pink reminded me of ripe dragon fruit. In Autumn, the leaves would shift to a deep scarlet color. The smell was warm and the sight was breath taking. My limber body easily hid behind the tree, making it fairly difficult for him to find me. Once it got dark, we went inside for some tea and a game of Clue. My father became quit experienced at the game and beat me almost everytime. He did it in record time and he used a consistent pace. We would play until I would get sleepy. My eyelids fell downward, almost as if someone was pulling on the lashes. He would slip me into my pj’s and lay me down softly. His hands were big but his touch was gentle. I would be asleep in no time, having dreams of me and my father playing in the backyard all day and all night. We would play until our legs gave up on us. Even after that, we would still play.

 

The office was in full swing by 3 o’clock. The sounds of the elevators traveling up and down the sounds of the building made me dizzy. I decided to save my work and get a drink of water. I slid my feet across the hideous carpet laid across the entire space of the lobby and offices. The water jug was empty.My mind told me to sit back down, but my thirst testified. I sighed and started my journey to the elevator. I was sure the upstairs office area had water. The elevator was taking forever. While they were used often and were crowded daily, they are suppose to be overall pretty quick. I finally gave up and started on the stairs. Two full flights and a long hallway to traverse up, then the water. A colleague of mine passed me in the hallway. As we walked by each other, she called my name, leaving it to echo off the narrow walls. ‘’Hino…’’ she announced. ‘’Your father wants you. He’s in his office. It sounds pretty serious.’’ I was going to thank her but soon i heard the sound of her heels getting less and less. I sighed and pushed on the heavy metal doors to the other office areas.

 

I stepped quickly down the hallway. I focused on the water bouncing in the cup and the scraping of my heels from the back of the flats that loosely fit around my feet. My father rarely called me to his office. If he did, it was never something serious. He usually asked me about life at home, if i’ve seen so and so lately. Other than that, nothing me and my father talked about was serious. His office door was slightly ajar. I inched closer to the door and knocked softly, peering in to see what he was doing. He must of heard me as he motioned me to come inside. I quietly stepped in, clutching my cup of water even tighter. I feared i would rip a hole in it. My father was facing the window. His hands were neatly folded behind his back. His gaze seemed distant as the sunlight hit and reflected off of his dark grey suit. He adjusted his glasses and turned to face me. A smile formed across his face. His wrinkles seemed to have disappeared. ‘’There’s my little dango...’’ he said with a coo in his voice. His arms opened wide. I smiled and placed my cup on the desk as I hugged my father. He was warm and smelled of cologne. I felt his lips press against my forehead as i looked up at him. ‘’Please, sit Akane.’’ I took a seat in the big brown chair that faced my fathers side of the large mahogany desk. Papers, pictures, and legal documents were spewed across the surface of his work place. My father was wise and hardworking, but he was not organized.

 

‘’Akane, I know you don't like being put in a, uh...’’. My father paused and stuttered slightly. ‘’...situation where you could be put in potential danger,’’ he finished finally. I stared at him curiously. ‘’F-father...I don't understand...’’ He stared out the window for a moment and then down at his hands. He placed them on the table, his fingers intertwined. ‘’Look...I know you would rather be in your work space, organizing questions and typing testimonies. But I am asking you to join me on a new investigation. Hear me out before you say no.’’ I remained silent. I was intrigued, yet doubt throbbed inside of me like a second heart beat. ‘’We have been presented with a, uh, complex case...’’ he grunted as he stood. ‘’Hundreds, almost thousands of people have gone missing. No one seems to know why. We have a couple of witnesses but other than that, the case is ice cold.’’ My father walked to the window again, staring out desperately into the city. ‘’That is where you come in Akane’’ I stared at my father like a deer caught in headlights, a fly coming face to face with a swatter. ‘’Me?’’ I asked softly. My father nodded and walked closer to me. I stoop to meet him. ‘’I don't know...why not ask Hikaru? He has more experience than I do. I wouldn’t want to screw anything up.’’ He smiled lazily. ‘’I already did. You two will be working together. I already have your plans written out and everything is in order. All I need now is your word. What do you say?’’ His eyebrow raised. His eyes were burning directly through my body. I felt my self wobble a bit. My eyes paced the room, looking for something to focus on. Anything but him. ‘’He’s your father. This is your job. Don’t chicken out. Its no big deal. Come on Akane.’’ I was fighting with myself. ‘’Y-yes. I’ll do it.’’ I felt his thick arms wrap around me. He was happy and thats all that matters. I gently tapped his back with my fingertips. I left his office, hearing him pick up the phone, giving confirmation to the person on the other line. As I walked down the hall back to the stairs, the thudding inside of me stopped. The second heart had died and shriveled up in it’s chambers. I questioned myself. How could I say yes? How come I couldn't say no? The same women who passed me in the hall passed me again. ‘’Well, was it serious?’’ she asked as she stopped at the door behind me. ‘’Oh yeah.’’ I sighed heavily. I heard the door close and her heels click away. I just wanted to go back to my little desk with my little coffee maker and my little responsibilities.

 

Reviews

[Ryan Henderson]

Very good, I am excited to know where this leads... I like the flow of your story, I liked the descriptive words and transition events that you used. Your writing style reminds me a lot of my own! In fact, if I had amnesia, I would have definitely thought that I had written this piece. Great work and thank you for sharing!