Description: Futaba Estate. Daniel Jack had a reason to be here laid against reasons to avoid the resident of the grounds. Known as the crazy ferret lady, Hotaru 'Pigtails' Macgyver was holding information about a cunning murderer by the name of Jiro 'Emo Tears' Towazu. With his trusty playpen ball and an offering of the flesh, he finds that the schemes are much more complicated than at first glance.
The Futaba Estate. An enclave of post-occupation sell-outs. The property was vast, secluded, and very well secure. Likely with a security system that would make the Hope Diamond look like a Nebraskian Cattle Barn. Beyond where the hounds and beartraps would lie was the manor itself. Secluded, cold... and filled with exactly what Daniel Jack needed.
Information.
The detective eased himself over the metal spikes of the wall. Daniel Jack had a good reason to be here. Apparently, The Stray Dog had a story behind him. The detective ran into the man at the harbor, and after a very short fight (The guy socked Daniel in the gonads), they broke ways. But Daniel Jack decided to run by his nicknames and physical description... and was very surprise at what he got.
A murderer.
The rabbit hole wound round and round and round, leading to a hollow point here on the estates. Hotaru Futaba. Well known on the fighting circuit. As such, Daniel asked the details from Ryuhaku Todoh, who was happy to give them. The detective knew how ruthless the 'Ice Queen With Pigtails' could be. The detective figured that if he made a blood offering to her, he might get enough information before she went to devour his flesh. The detective's palms sweated as he eased down the wall. He could only imagine what horrors she could be committing inside the manor, all to the name of her dark Kyokugen gods.
Situated in one of the upper class neighborhoods of Southtown Village, the property is sizeable. Evidence of family money, likely predating the current generation, can be seen on all sides. At night the area is quiet; far from the distant night-life bustle and rustle of Southtown proper. Only the occasional sound of a car moving along the streets or a backyard dog baying for attention can be heard. The main estate consists of two floors if one goes by the double rows of visible windows on the outside. The building off to the side, across a driveway and an acre of lawn, appears to be a dojo. The squat building serves as a warning - warriors have been trained here.
A recent snowfall has left a blanket of white over the environment. Patches of snow float within the fountain's pool and the yard appears to not have experienced much traffic since the passing storm. Flood lights, activated by motion detectors, are everywhere to be found. Some are focused on the house itself, others on the fountain, while still others provide a guide to the lightly frost-dusted walkway leading to the front of the home.
The house itself sits quiet. The windows dark. It almost begs the question as to whether anyone is at home. But there is one clue - a solitary pair of foot prints in the snow, leading from the sidewalk to the front door. They don't come back the other way. Then a light comes on - the second floor. Dim, as if reaching the window from somewhere further within. It goes out after a while, another light in a window adjacent to it turning on. Someone was at home. And they are awake.
Daniel Jack landed softly in the snow, the crisp sound of shoes crunching into the dusting. Snow would make this a lot less subtle, unfortunately. Here in the night, though, Daniel Jack would need to rely on his natural sleuthing. With the darkness around him, he could naturally blend in-
The detective again looked around at the snow around him. Immediately, he removed his hat, and tucked it in his trenchcoat. Ducking down low, he pulled the trenchcoat over his head. There, that would help. Shuffling through the snow on his knees, he cased the property. Yes, he saw the small dojo. He wasn't surprised. Ryuhaku informed him about the depth of Hotaru's corruption. It was both a sad and infuriating story. Hotaru, swayed by the sick lies of Kyokugen, rejected the Way of Todoh for the rival school. What was once an innocent girl was now a former shadow of herself, dark beyond anything imaginable. Now a recluse, she only lived for fighting... and Jiro.
The detective shuffled from the snow, eyeing those flood lights. The grey of the coat helped blend him into the landscape, keeping his profile low. But the lights, well, that would take finesse. The trail from the detective wound well around and around the lawn, the covered private investigator tactically evading the motion sensors with the skill of a master detective. When the light snaps on however, the Daniel freezes. Holding his breath, he covered his head completely, using the natural coloring of the trenchcoat to blend in completely with the snow. This was genius. Foolproof!
There don't appear to be any hounds patrolling the perimeter. No guards pathing on predictable routes to sneak through while avoiding their narrow cone of sight. Just motion detectors and lights. No manned watch towers with searching spot lights scouring the space between the house and the outer wall. No jumpy solders standing near waiting alarm boxes, ready to sound the claxon call at the slightest suspicious sound. Only the rustle and creak of settling snow admist the leafless tree branches.
A silhouette is visible in one of the windows for a fleeting moment. Motion, someone moving about. Then the light shuts off and all becomes quiet again. There is a narrow window two feet from the front door that offers a view of the yard. Curtains cover it, but after a few moments they brush aside briefly, the darkness within making it impossible to see who might be looking outside.
After a few seconds, they fall closed again, whoever curiously studied the yard seemingly satisfied with what they saw - or didn't see. An inspection of the front door would reveal it to be brand new. No signs of weathering. It even smells new, the oder of wood finish barely traceable within the still night air. Woodchips nearby suggest that the carved surface may have even been done on the premises.
Daniel Jack waits in the snow, waiting for a counter-attack, if any. Content with that his camoflauge worked brilliantly, the detective continues the last couple of feet to slip upon the porch of the home. The master sleuth was gradually learning that the security here was much lighter than expected. Beads of sweat grew on his forehead. Was she truly this reclusive... and confident? Ryuhaku Todoh's stories began to sound more and more true. Patting his coat, he was glad he had two back-up plans.
Easing up against the door, he inspected it. The smell was unusual. A little... too unusual. The detective sensed a trap. Yes. It would be like a Kyokugen to set a death trap right at the entrance. The detective subtly shuffles over to one of the open windows. Peering at the curtain, he nodded. Reaching into his coat, he draws out what looks like a small crowbar. Easing it by the window, he began to manhandle it quietly, trying to test it open without attempting anything violent on the nice house.
The house seems quiet again following the brief stir of activity within. There's time for Daniel to approach the door and inspect the windows nearby. They seem to be specifically placed to make it impossible to reach the door handle simply by breaking the glass and sticking his arm in. Someone was at least security minded in the basics when putting together the entryway it seems.
The window doesn't give to the touch of the crowbar either. It's locked tight. While the security measures on the outside of the premises may have been less than impressive, the window itself has evidence of an internal system. A thin black cord can be seen on the inside. On the far wall ominous blinking lights hint at a control panel.
For such a large home, however, it seems strangely quiet and empty. Perhaps the girl really is a recluse if she's the only one that has that entire estate to herself. There is, of course, the doorbell next to the wooden door, for the truly adventerous.
Daniel Jack catches sight of the lights, and figures the jig is up. There are many things the detective could compromise. Warehouses, crime scenes, evidence, and sometimes even his life. But complex security systems? Not a chance. The detective pulled back his crowbar, and growled to himself. Shoving the crowbar back in his coat, he looked over at the nice door. It looks like he was going to have to do it... the hard way.
Brushing his pants off, he walked over to the door. He had to go through the steps easily. He would push the doorbell with a disposable tool while standing off to the side. Drawing out a bright red toothbrush, he considered the second part. After the trap triggered, Hotaru would most definitely attempt to flay the very skin off his flesh in a single breath. While Daniel could likely hold his own against her corrupted Kyokugen Karate, he would have little defense against the swarms of bats and spiders that would come forth. Thus, he would need to prepare his talisman.
Pushing the doorbell with the toothbrush, he tosses the device into the snow, triggering the motion sensors again. Well, so much for concealing his position. Seeing that a horrible death trap did not trigger, he shuffled to the front of the door. Focusing hard forward into his frigid 'no-nonsense glare,' he fixed his collar before reaching into his coat. There was other parts to the plan, yes. And after the talisman bought him time, he would then present the third and final object.
The flesh offering.
There's an immediate reaction from within. A chime rings inside. It sounds like real bells. The sort built into grandfather clocks. The expensive kind that play a short, pithy tune. A hall light deep within turns on. Foot steps padding on carpet lined wooden floors. A light on the porch flips on, followed by a light within the entryway.
A soft beep noise suggests a security keypad being disabled. Then a bolt unlocks. Then a second one. Finally the handle turns, the door opening just slightly, the face of a teenaged girl peeking out from the opening, concealed mostly by the door but her face.
"Hello?" She doesn't sound hostile, just suspicious. It is late at night. And she clearly doesn't recognize this man. Blue eyes glance behind him, at the now well light yard, as if inspecting for any company he might have brought. "Can I help you?"
The song does bother Daniel Jack. He finds it rather boring, to tell the truth. Get some serious hard-thumping jazz for a doorbell. That would be tight. However this is not important, for when the clicks begin, the detective carefully pulls out the small artifact. The detective wipes his forehead quickly, and holds the small item in the palm of his hand. Finally, the door opens.
Before Hotaru is an African American in a very wet trenchcoat tossed over a bright orange suit. On hand is dug deep in his pocket, while the other is gripping a bright blue plastic ball, much like one you would find in a ball pit. The detective has a look of an intense degree of seriousness, like if Hotaru was late on her taxes, or something worse. The man holds the ball at about eye level, and speaks firmly, softly, and calmly.
"M-m-miss-s-sss-ss-sss... Hot-hot-hot-a-a-a-a-" The detective began, shivering violently as he spoke. Damn. Why did he have to roll in the snow on the way up here? He was FREEZING. Still shuddering, he still trudged on through his line, as long as the shockingly adorable little teenager wasn't tearing his throat open. "A-a-a-a-ru Fu. Fuuuu. Ffffffffffff. Fut-tu-turu? I'm D-d-daniel Jack, P-p-p-p-r-pri-p. and I'm, and I'm, and I'm... h-h-here to ask-k-k a f-f-f-few questions-tions."
The detective's lips seem to match the color of the ball very closely.
The girl looks straight at Daniel, her expression tight lipped at first, though the hardened mask slips after a few seconds of putting up with his stuttering. Her eyes narrow again when the ball is brought into focus, however, as she glances between it and Daniel, "It's really late at night for jokes," she notes, her tone souring slightly.
A short huff and shake of her head as he stammers out her name. She glances out into the yard again, as if double checking to make sure the icepop man outside is alone before she at last takes a step back, pulling the door open a little further, "Did Master Todoh put you up to this?" she asks, her tone more level, relaxing more as the seconds tick by, having overcome her initial tension at being brought to the door so late.
Should he step out of the freezing night and into the warm, heated entryway, he'll find the lobby is extravagent in its decorations. Jeweled figurines, crystaline statues of Chinese dragons, rugs and tapestries from around the world, and a giant aquarium in the far wall, light by a dull blue light, all offer decor for the estate's entryway. Hotaru, herself, appears to have been ready for bed, as at the moment she's doned a sky blue, thick, fluffy robe, tied closed at the waist by a band.
The moment he steps in, the girl will most certainly move to close the door behind him, even bolting both of the deadlocks. She seems a touch too eager to do so... maybe she's luring him in just where she wants him?
Daniel's judgement takes leave of him, thankfully. Instead of seeing the Hotaru's horrible trap, he focuses on only one thing. Warm indoors. Cold outdoors. Solve this brainstem. He could have looked at how easy it was to get inside. He might even consider how Hotaru might have used her demonic powers of the Oni to cause the cold to consume him. Such trickery would not be above the Kyokugen. However, it was too late for jokes and tricks, and he just wanted to get warm again.
So, as Hotaru steps aside, the detective slowly walks in, his shivering being met by both a lavish display and, more importantly, warmth. While still shivering, his shuddering was slowing down enough to take in the exotic decorations. Eyeing the foyer in silent awe, his grim composure slowly returned to a much tighter level of comfort.
As the door locks shut, the detective snaps out of it, coming back to the fact that he was in a very high-class joint. He had never seen such a beautiful collection of such diverse... things. The detective removes his trenchcoat, and folds it over his arm. The dame had a question for him. Failure to answer might mean no questions from Daniel. Or worse.
"Miss Futaba, I assure you, Master Todoh told me to bring two things. This was to keep you from giving me the regular shank." The detective holds up the ball, making it clear he still had it. And then, with a subtle motion, he reaches into his coat. It was time for the offering of the flesh. Pulling his hand out, he draws out his tribute.
Holding the small white bunny rabbit up high, he grimly looks over at Hotaru. "This, Miss Futaba, is a gift from the Dojo of Todoh." The detective said coldly, gingerly hoping that she actually wouldn't eat it right in front of him.
The moment the door is closed, before she even turns to regard him further, she returns to the panel on the far wall. A few quick key presses and some LEDs flicker on, indicating the system to be active again. Huffing slightly, as if a certain worry had been taken off her mind, she turns back around to face the American squarely, folding her arms in front of her. An old clock on the wall ticks ominiously, seconds passing by with him now trapped within the empty estate.
As he speaks, this time without the stutter, she smiles a little bit, as if just seeing him warming up is something good. As he admits to speaking with Todoh, one black raises just a little. Her azure eyes shift to the ball as its held aloft, before she looks back at him. "And did he explain why you should bring a plastic playpin ball?" she inquires, the girl starting to look just borderline incredulous.
But as he goes for token number two, her eyes widen with surprise at the sight of the small white bunny. Hotaru's expression softens, her pointed question forgotten immediately. "Ooooh..." Hands up, she looks just about ready to pull it away from Daniel. But she hesitates, shifts her palms to face the ceiling, smiling hopefully, "Fair enough. I'll answer your questions if you let me hold Mister Zuzu in the meantime."
Mister Zuzu. Hotaru's psychosis was truly coming to surface. Before even devouring the creature, she had to give it a name. A sort of tab of humanity. To insure that this wasn't just any rabbit, but this was Mister Zuzu. Truly the sociopathic nature of empathy came to surface here. There was no feeling in those big, hollow eyes, and what was lurking behind them was an all-devour abomination of what was good in the world.
The detective softly plops the adorable little bunny in Hotaru's eager hands. It feels a bit chilly, despite the poor thing being in the depths of Daniel's coat. It wiggles it's nose a bit, it's ears set back. "Charming, thank you very much Miss Futaba." The private eye says, and walks over to the aquarium. He inspects the creatures that lurk in the glass cage, silently casing them over. The questions would need to be simple, quick, and to the point. As such, still looking at the sea life, he speaks.
"I'll be blunt, Miss Futaba. I am on the trail of a man by the name of Jiro 'Stray Dog' Kasagi. Do you know anyone by that name?"
As soon as the rabbit is handed over, Hotaru brings it in closer to herself, shifting it to sit along her arm and palm, freeing her other hand up to hold it in place, reaching for its ears, rubbing them between her fingers, "Hn... you feel pretty cold. Was that man keeping you outside too long?" she asks, rubbing the ends of the rabbit's ears as if to work warmth back into them.
The apparent estate owner glances up to follow Danial as he approaches the large, in-wall aquarium. Behind the glass are all manner of life - crabs along the bottom, fish throughout the depths, various decorative plants, and even a few fancy 'corral' reefs down in the gravel of the bottom. "Of course." she answers the question without much hesituation, though there is a guarded edge to her tone, as if she is already guessing where these questions are about to go.
"The relationship Jiro and I have is very much public knowledge." Comes up in interviews, gossip columns, fight related magazines that circulate any and all rumors. There's no keeping that kind of secret, well, secret with the world's facination with fighters as it is. "If you're looking for him, he's not here." she goes on to add, looking at the detective squarely now. "And I don't know where to find him."
Daniel Jack shifts his gaze from the aquarium to the other artifacts of the rooms. The artwork did interest him greatly. Though strange enough, he didn't seem to be focusing on Hotaru. For lack of manners, or for building dramatic tension? He was quite capable of both, unfortunately. Focusing on one of the crystal statues, he continues on to the next questions.
"Finding him isn't hard, Miss Futaba. And judging by that tone, you know about his alleged murder." Turning around finally, he looks at Hotaru squarely back. "So here is something. Have you talked with Mr. Kasagi since the alleged murder?"
Crystaline figurines sit atop glass-centered tables and shelves. Bordered by real vines of some exotic plant growing out of planters on the floor and lit by tiny lights built into the shelves themselves, each positioned to give the best possible glow. The entryway is lavish in its decorations. On top of that - everything but the aquarium seems to be quite new; no scratches, knicks, or evidence of years worth of oils and polishes being applied are anywhere to be seen. Two staircases to either side lead up to the central landing of the second floor of the state.
As Danial turns to face Hotaru, the girl is no longer looking in his direction. The rabbit, hugged in her arm, is still being petted calmly, but Hotaru herself is staring up at the second floor ceiling far above. It seems that the lobby is in fact undergoing recent renovations, as there exists some exposed wiring and a couple lights not quite hanging properly in that direction.
The heiress may not even seem to be paying attention, as she doesn't answer at first. Breathing in then exhaling softly, she lowers her chin, looking straight back at Daniel, her mouth curled into a faint frown. "What did you hope to gain by coming here? I am aware of what the allegations are, even if I don't believe them. But since you clearly did your homework before coming here, you would have to know that I am probably not going to be going out of my way to help law enforcement find him." Her head cants to the side slightly, the girl saying nothing else for the moment.
Daniel Jack stared quietly at Hotaru and Mister Zuzu. The look on his face was one of a man who just decided to see what a fresh persimmon tasted like. Bitter mulling about what piece of mind that Hotaru might toss him, he judged the approach carefully. Watching her eyes, the detective drifting his attention upwards. Ah. Renovations. Interesting.
Her next comment doesn't get a reaction initially. Instead, he just watches the ceiling, taking in the exposed wiring with inward contemplation. And with that, he grimly gave Hotaru his own piece of mind. "Miss Futaba. Finding Mister Kasagi isn't hard, it's just the local enforcement is that backward sluggish. I'm not, though. When I get my prey, though, I want to know the quality of meat, are you digging me?"
It then occurs to the detective that she might actually not be digging him. Looking down, he takes a deep breath, and speaks again, much slower this time. "You are a personal contact of Jiro Kasagi. Stray Dog is operating is this area, we have butt heads personally. You are intimate with him, and judging my your reaction, you still have faith in him. It might be 'cause you love him..." The detective narrowed his eyes slightly. "Or because you know something else. So I ask again, Miss Futaba. Have you come in contact with Mister Kasagi since the alleged murder?"
As he declares it to not be all that hard to find the missing Stray Dog, Hotaru comes just shy of twitching slightly. Truth is, she might have been thinking the same thing. Subtle and hard to find were not exactly Jiro's primary atributes. As he asks about the quality of the meat, however, the Asian teen just stares back at him, most definitely not digging it.
Which is why she remains quiet, giving him time to reiterate more clearly. When he gets back to asking the same question she had tried to dodge moments before, however, the girl's expression falters slightly. Deception isn't a strong point, and straight out lying to someone associated with the law had never crossed her mind in the past... But what could it hurt to answer him if he already knew Jiro had been in Southtown?
"Once." comes the answer. Plain and simple, leaving the detective the burden of prying for any additional information he might want to obtain out of this late night visit.
Daniel Jack doesn't even flinch. Even by reading Hotaru's facial expressions, he guessed what the answer was going to be. Jiro was not the criminal type originally, Daniel gathered from the profile he acquired. Former Interpol, killed his boss in what was a 'verbal conflict.' It seems like a crime of passion, if it was a crime. Seeing him in action, it was even more likely. As such, what Hotaru was told was very important.
The detective doesn't change his frigid expression. However, his shoulders seemed to relax a bit. Rolling his shoulders a bit, he shook his head. "Well, now, we got a whole lot to talk about, details of the meeting and the like. Do you have a place we could sit that's more comfortable? Kitchen table or something solid like that?" He looks around, seeming a bit uncomfortable by the fact they have been standing out in the lobby for a while.
Lowering her attention to the rabbit in her arms, Hotaru nods her head just slightly. "Okay... I should have invited you to sit down already. I'm sorry." She relents, her tone still guarded, as if she was trying to plan out a head just how much she should be willing to come clean on with this detective. She turns to the side, approaching a set of closed, double doors. Balancing the complacent bunny in one arm, the girl pulls one of the doors back, opening the way into a lounge off to the side of the entryway.
The accommodations are pleasant. More fancy decorations. Portraits, collectable paintings, comfortable sofas and seats. Crystaline coffee tables adorned with more figurines, framed photographs, and in one case, a marble chess set. A grand piano occupies one corner and on the far side a door no doubts opens into other areas of the large home. "All of the staff have gone home for the night or I would offer you something to drink." She doesn't sound like she's going to extend the hospitality of preparing Daniel something herself. It's clear that she's still not comfortable with the man or his goals.
The girl opts for a comfortable looking chair herself, settling down in it and shifting her craddled bunny to her lap, keeping one hand on it at all times to keep it from having an opening to bolt off unexpectedly. She gestures toward any number of the seats or sofas he might chose to sit in, scooting up next to one of the low tables herself. "If he's so easy to find, then what's this really about?" she finally asks back. "What is your angle on this? Is there a bounty you're after?"
From one beautiful room to another, Daniel Jack couldn't help but contemplate the nature of the financially secure. And she fought, too. The detective was beginning to lose the vibe that Hotaru was truly a monster. Like her, though, he was still skeptical. "It is alright, ma'am, I'm fine." Actually, he was thirsty, but he found it poor taste to drink from his whiskey flask right in front of the skeptical girl. It might cause more harm than good. Sitting down on the sofa, he immediately reaches a more limp state of body. Looking a bit sleepy, he listens to the questions that his host makes. Daniel Jack takes a long breath in, and then exhales. Finally, he answers.
"Let me tell you a story about your hubbie, Miss Futaba. I was keeping watch on one of the warehouses down by the harbor. A string of break-ins were there, so I decided to scout out a potential target. Turns out someone by the name of Ryouhara was jacking relics hidden on the sights. As he hacked his way in, your goggle-clad man burst through the ceiling, and knocked the stuffing clear out of the man. Now, when I requested he remain for questioning..." The detective paused for a second. "... He declined."
Adjusting his position on the couch, he looked back at Hotaru, eyes much softer than before. "So here is the straight scoop, Miss Futaba. I looked into this Stray Dog with the title of Jiro, and I get a whole layer of ick. So here are the two issues here. You got an international criminal doing vigilante work out here in Southtown. Now, if you are on the lam, let me tell you, that Jiro is two monkeys short of a banana tree, you digging it? A man with a bounty, let me tell you. Most criminals have a bounty. It is a great alternative to being hired on pay. Money for justice. But I can't help but sense a little bit of fraud in the transactions. Being the eternal optimist, I figure there is a reason your prince is making retard here in Southtown. Hell, let me put it blunt."
"WHY is he STILL fighting crime? He met with you, and he cares about you. Did he let loose to you a reason why?"
She's quiet as he settles in, having already voiced her questions. But the moment he starts speaking, she cuts in, even if it doesn't keep him from continuing, "A-ah, we're not married." That makes him not her hubbie. She thinks. Actually, she's not entirely sure. Best to be safe though. Her brow furrows, "Seishirou Ryouhara?" she asks back, sounding somewhat startled at the revelation.
She nods slightly when he indicates Jiro declined to answer questions. That... hardly comes as a surprise. Her hand continues to carees the bunny on her lap, making sure that he's much warmer now than he was in the detective's coat. She looks all together surprised at the account of Jiro's crime fighting, however; her emotions not too difficult to read.
He asks if she's digging the monkey and banana tree metaphor and she just stares back at him again, apparently finding his manner of speaking a tad on the confusing side. "Prince... did you just call him a retard?" she asks, one eye narrowing slightly though she doesn't seem to have taken strong offense. At last, he lays a straight question on her and the girl blinks, sitting up a little bit straighter.
"I don't know why he's fighting crime. He should be out trying to clear his name of this whole thing." She pauses a little, frowning slightly, before she leans forward and continues. "Jiro was framed. The Cartel trying to get rid of him is called NESTS. It is either lead by a man named Igniz or he at least holds great authority within the organization. Jiro was relentless in his attempts to counter this group while he worked for Interpol and this appears to be their way of dealing with him."
She leans back in her chair, relaxing after having said that much. Her mouth curls into a hint of a smile, "I'm sure you have friends at Interpol. If you could get into Jiro's files, they probably talk all about the cartel he was fighting..." She secretly hopes Jiro kept files. Maybe he wasn't really the record keeping sort. Well, there's a chance, right?
Hotaru did something very useful to Daniel Jack, though she did not recognize it. See, there is a drive for justice in Daniel Jack. A drive to sniff out wrongs, and set it up so rights will take over. He wasn't a man of Great Justice. In a sense, if a thief is a gadfly to a just society, Daniel is a gadfly to an unjust one. But the fuel for his drive was the bigger catch. He didn't want to be a gadfly, but a real bear of a monster to it.
Hotaru gives him a bigger fish to fry.
A strange look of intense elation seems to spring over Daniel's face. It wasn't like a soft happy, but more of the look you find with men who just got top belly in a street fight. She didn't know why Jiro was fighting crime, but it did connect somewhat to Daniel Jack. Separate from the accused murder, Jiro's dedication to his anti-NESTS campaign seemed to support vigilante work. With that context, there were two likely paths. He either killed his boss for getting in the way of his work, or he was framed. The detective would have to further his investigation on the conditions, along with what NESTS was. Unfortunately, he did NOT have any strong contacts with Interpol. Hotaru thought too much of him there.
Rather than losing that aura, though, he grins. Not a terse, forced grin, which those who have seen him on the television was used to. But a sincere one. Leaning forward, he nodded eagerly at the young teen. "Neat, real neat, Miss Futaba. So he came by, and told you that an organization called NESTS framed him. Real interesting. I will look into it, that's something solid to lead on. Real solid."
The detective then leans back, his grimace returning. "So, just so you understand it, Miss Futaba. Your... boyfriend has a warrant for his arrest based on many witnesses hearing him shooting his boss, after his room was locked down. DNA evidence confirms this. Now, there were many stories to give, and that was a good one. Mister Kasagi has a snowball's chance in hell to get out of this scotch-free, or even without a five-minute session with old sparky." He smacks his lips, yawning slightly. "Or had. I like it." Looking around, the private investigator seemed to be lost in thought. Finally, he almost lazily speaks out.
"So how much is it worth to you to help clear your boyfriend's name?"
Having given her account of what Jiro told her, Hotaru falls quiet. She doesn't look like she intends to plead the case, as if she feels like her just having said it is enough. She's encountered both NESTS and Igniz, so she knows they're real and not a figment of a scared criminal's imagination. And she has nothing else offer to make it more convincing either. Jiro might. But he's not here.
As he describes the circumstances Jiro is in, Hotaru nods slowly, her expression tight lipped. Whatever panicking or worrying there was to be done she seems to have gotten out of her system. Or she's really good at hiding it. Given how readable she had been earlier, that seems unlikely. There seems to be no more questions hanging in the air between them. She's told him what she knew. He seems to have gotten what he wants.
That is, up until he speaks again. "You want me to hire you?" she asks, cutting straight to the point, sounding just a little surprised. "Is that it?" She pats the rabbit thoughtfully, looking back at him, or rather, through him it seems, as her mind wanders. She had offered Jiro help. Offered him money. But he had insisted on going at this alone. Would hiring someone to pursue his case be betraying his request? "Hm." comes her initial response.
"How about you tell me what you charge and then we can discuss it." she replies, mouth curling into a faint smile. She's not about to be extorted here. There's other investigators in town, in her opinion.
Daniel Jack was a funny sort of man. When confronted with a woman backed into a corner, he reaches out with both hands. One to help her, and the other encouraging help from her. It was a very pragmatic approach to the side of good. While he would love to help her, simply love to help her... the fact of the matter that time meant money. Helping Hotaru out with his hubby, should it lead to Jiro's innocence, usually meant a greater loss financially than anything gained. On the other hand, since Jiro is guilty by default, any efforts to capture him means immediate financial gain. Above all, the truth matters.
But the pocketbook comes to a close second.
The private investigator removes his hat, and runs his fingers through his hair. Laying his fingers on his scalp, he runs them silently on his skull. Extortion? It was just business. At least she cared enough to pay him. With the ball back in his court, the Daniel Jack thought hard. "Well, that's tricky to be fair. The best thing to do, Miss Futaba, is to work it by the hour. I usually set it $100 an hour of actual work. With the recession, lets make it $75, plus travel & expenses. All work will be accounted for, and you will only pay for what is accounted. I take real sharp records, you dig?"
It is probably the only thing he does well.
"Also." Daniel Jack removes his hand, and replaces the hand on his head. "Make note, I don't just I want to be hired. It is just convenient that way, trust me, it'll make sense in the long run. If you need me to keep broken from you, I can make it an independent venture, or... well, a rotten push on my end, you dig?" The detective grins again, but back to the unnatural tense-jaw kind. Fishing in his pockets, he draws out a yellowed contract. He begins to fool around with it, filling in a few blanks. "I'm not setting down the price, I need to hear your end of it."
She sits quietly as he goes through his gestures. She appears patient, not rushed, calm even in spite the gravity of the discussion. She seems to agree to the hourly rate, nodding slowly, one eye narrowing slightly as if she's making a show of sizing up the numbers he's throwing on the table. "Good." she replies with a ready smile when he mentions keeping accurate books. Truth of the matter is she has no idea. She'll never look at his records. She won't even likely be the one writing his check. What does a seventeen year old know about that kind've money anyway? That's why there's an estate accountant!
But it doesn't mean she can't try to play the game. Leaning forward now, careful to keep giving attentions to the rabbit in her lap, she waits for him to finish speaking before she continues. "I'll make you a deal." she finally decides after having been given time to think on it, sitting back up straight again. "Your price is fair. Seventy-five dollars an hour plus expenses. And..."
She muses thoughtfully, "You say there's a bounty out for him? I imagine... for what he's accused of, it must be considerable... I'll tell you what. If you play a part in clearing Jiro of his accusation, I'll award you the full price of the bounty on his name." It's the smart call, she decides. Make it so that Daniel has nothing to gain financially by pursuing the other course. All that matters then is the pursuit of the truth. Truth that she believes will ultimately exonerate the young man.
Daniel Jack suspected that the young girl might have some idea of how to her accounts work. Otherwise, Daniel could get a greater deal of money from the girl. But no, that would be dishonest and exploitive. Daniel was fortunate enough to get money out of the deal, period. To think, he came in awaiting for Hotaru to revealing the sociopathic killing machine that she and her hubby was. Instead, it was a quiet, scared rich girl willing to shell out money for her hubby.
Quite decent.
The detective continues to adjust the contract, nodding his head as Hotaru gives more details. $75 plus expenses... and an added bonus if he clears the name of Jiro, equal to the price of the bounty to his name. So as an counter offer, she increased the price of his services.
She was new to this, wasn't she.
With the contract's blanks filled in, Daniel Jack hands it over to Hotaru, nodding firmly. Sitting back, he reaches in his jacket, pulling out the small plastic ball. He plays around with it, looking over at the teenage girl. "That should be it, if you sign there, Miss Futaba." He states in a deadpan, ball dancing in his hand.
There must be something about the detective Hotaru has come to trust. Having started out suspicious and guarded, she has opened up slowly. Regarded by many as a good judge of character, she lets her instincts regarding the American lead the way in this exchange. SHe doesn't seem to regret upping the offer and with her general lack of financial acumen, it's hard to say how much she's actually promised the detective at this point.
But she does accept the contract all the same, looking it over from top to bottom, taking a while to peruse the lines, making sure that it says what she thinks it should. Putting down the contract on the crystaline table in front of her, "It looks agreeable." she replies, leaning forward to sign the sheet before sitting up straight again. "You don't really need to tell me what you do or what you find out. I just want the truth about this acusation to come to light."
She breaths in then exhales, offering him a quiet smile of relief as if glad to have made a gesture in helping the young man on the run clear this mess up. What was she thinking letting Jiro try this on his own? Even if it's what the young man wanted to do... "Be careful if you start to poke into NESTS affairs. They mean business." she warns quietly.
Daniel Jack watches Hotaru sign the contract. Well, he just got himself another source of income. Bless it all, this was going to be a FUN tinyplot. With all the things that Hotaru promised, how couldn't it be? He had several things to deal with. Interpol records, Jiro himself, and somewhere... someone who knew about NESTS.
Collecting the contract, he inspects it, and nods. "I'll get a copy later, don't you worry..." He begins, but is cut off by the warning. Then, right there, a strange look comes over Daniel Jack's face. It seemed almost... scheming. Narrowing his eyes, the detective looked over at the teenage girl, and put the ball right on the table with a dramatic flair. "Miss Futaba, thank you kindly, but I'm all about business."
Leaving the ball on the table, he stood up, pocketing the pen and paper in his coat carefully. "Now, I appreciate it very much for all the help you have provided me. I will get to the bottom of this whole issue very soon, don't you worry. Now, I believe you were about to sleep, so I will take my leave, you dig it?" He looks towards the main entrance, and begins to walk towards it. His business here was done, for now.
She watches him place the ball on the table quietly. It's an interesting reminder of his very strange arrival and the fact that he apparently consulted Todoh of all people for advice on how to approach her. Maybe she's really hired the wrong guy for the job, she muses silently for a moment. Well, it can't hurt too bad... how much can detectiving even cost, anyway, right??
As he gets to his feet, she stands up as well, still craddling the rabbit in her arms, "A-ah, wait a second." she stammers, hurrying on ahead back out to the entrance. There's a security system to disable after all. She even glances at Danial to make sure he isn't watching as she quickly keys in the code to turn it off. Moving quickly to the door she undoes the two deadbolts as well, giving the man a somewhat sheepish, almost apologetic smile. She doesn't seem to like showing this paranoid side of herself, but she's also paranoid enough to go through all the security measures even if it means showing him.
She opens the door back out to the cold, snow covered night, then steps aside. "Thank you for coming by, detective. I guess you'll want..." she murmurs, holding the rabbit up, hands under his forelegs as she extends him back out to the Daniel, believing him to be the proper owner.
Daniel Jack stops at the door. Lifting up his now-dry trenchcoat, he slips it on. Then the teenager tells him to stop. Right. Security system. The detective sees Hotaru rush by him, and before she keys in, she looks back at him. Politely, the private eye looks away, letting her input the data. Once she is complete, he begins to walk out the door, when Hotaru does the unexpected.
She returns the bunny.
Daniel Jack looks surprised at the rabbit presented to him. She wasn't going to eat it? Was Ryuhaku Todoh... wrong about Hotaru? Well, the butcher wasn't going to take the bunny back, so it looked like Daniel was stuck. Reverting back to his grimace, he takes the rabbit back from Hotaru. "Thank you... and good night" He says quickly, before slipping the rabbit back in the depths of his coat. How much space does he have in there, anyways? Turning around, he walks out of the door, leaving Hotaru to her dreams and rich things throughout the night.
Mister Zuzu. It had a nice ring to it.
Log created on 21:27:50 12/20/2008 by Daniel, and last modified on 18:01:39 12/23/2008.