Recherche

 Recherché Chapter Fifteen: Coming Apart Together

“Good, you’re still here Ryota,” he said sauntering into the constabulary.  “We need to talk.”

“As I haven’t time to shoot the breeze, Inspector, you might wanna take a gander at this one first,” he said pushing a pile of papers near the side of his desk.  “The rest just need signatures.”

“Thanks.”

“Sounds like you’re smiling,” he said scrawling a note in the margins of a report. “And not a rumble of complaint either; reckon that means the family is doing well.”

The slightest of grins pulled at Ibiki’s lip as he scanned through the documents.  “How’d you know where I was?”

“Please … I can read you like a twelve penny novel, that and you smell like an unmucked stable.  Hope you plan to bathe before the tsuya--”

“Probably won't. So, Hagane and Kamizuki went to the Temple, did they?  And what’s this?  Umino went to the Fire Brigade … why?”

Ryota shrugged his shoulders,  “What am I, a mind-reader?  Maybe after talking to the Governor he felt like volunteering.  More importantly, we still don’t have a positive identification on those remains.”

"Well that and the rest of this stuff can wait till tomorrow. You're going with me to the tsuya--”

“Can’t …  evening watch commander’s late again--”

“If I gotta show up, so do you.  No more excuses old man, we’ve got three capable desk sergeants that can handle things in your absence."  Sliding the completed forms to the edge of the desk he said,  "I’ll be back in fifteen minutes; enough time to issue orders and clear your desk.  Mind you, got no problem dragging ya outta here by the collar so you best be ready.”

 Recherché

Iruka and company follow the smell of the incense rolling down the mountain and the wails of the mourning women rising from the quiet town to the Temple court which by now was a swarming knot of humanity.

“We’ll never find him in this crowd, ‘Ruka.  I say we call it a night--”

“He’s right,” Izumo said. “No shame in retreating until we can devise a better plan--”

“Nope, his absence would be suspect. I know he’s here ...  an image to maintain and all that rot. 'Sides, we’ve come too far already.  No confrontation, hear me Tetsu?”

“Yeah, yeah ... I know the drill.”

They slowly made their way through the crowd, until at last they stood directly across the room from the grieving family.  Once the chief priest concludes recitation of the sutra, splinter groups begin forming; some consoling the family, others making small talk.  At opposite ends of the enclosure, Tsunade and Ibiki acknowledge one another with polite nods as they’re pushed along with the flow of the exiting crowd.  To the left of the altar, was a cluster of important looking men.  Standing head and shoulders over them was their target, Hatake Kakashi.  Hair of silver, slicked back, an ebony eye patch concealing his left eye; his pale skin enveloped in a kimono of black silk.  He smiled amiably and nodded politely as inane discussion floated about him.   Outside this small group and to Hatake’s right stood an olive-skinned man who spent his time scanning the crowd. 

“Iruka … there he is.”

“I see him, Zumo," he snarled.  “I have to get closer … wanna make sure he sees me--”

“Damn it,” he said grabbing him by the wrist, “don’t let your temper get the better of you.” 

“I won’t.”

 Recherché

Standing slightly to the rear of the crowd on the same side of the room as Iruka, Ryota nudged the Inspector in the ribs. “Umino and friends ... three o’clock.”

“Yeah, I see ‘em. Don’t know what the hell possessed them to come here tonight.  Be prepared to wrangle them away from the family … can’t have ‘em saying something stupid to the Hyuga.”

“Too late, they’re on the move--”

“Let’s go, Ryota.”

Recherché 

Though he never outwardly acknowledged his presence, Hatake felt the heated stares aimed his way and he smiled.  Confronting me in a crowded arena, he has the guts his father lacked.  The Inspector’s here too, so I doubt Umino will make a scene, but time will tell.

Recherché 

“Lady Tsunade, see that young man moving through the crowd?  He’s the one who wanted to meet with you while you were having breakfast with the Inspector this morning.”

“You’ll have to be more specific, Shizune.  There are a great many young men walking about.”

“Right there, ma’am … that’s Dr. Umino.”

“Him?  Can’t be.  That’s the young man I told you about from the park.”

“I don’t think so, I sat right across the table from him today and I know for sure ... that is Dr. Umino.”

“Well, one of us is obviously mistaken.   Go fetch him … we’ll get to the bottom of this right now.”

“Yes ma’am.”

 Recherché

As Ibiki and Ryota move in, Genma blocks their progress.  “Sorry I couldn’t get them remains identified Inspector," he said.  "Hectic day. It turned out well though don’t you think?”

Ibiki pushed past him without a word.

Recherché

They’d covered half the distance of the Temple when Kinoe bumped into Iruka.  “Don’t be a fool all your life, Umino,” he whispered as he passed by.

“Hey, watch where you’re going buddy,” Kotetsu hissed.  “What an ass … he didn’t even apologize--”

“That was Hatake’s right hand man … issuing a warning,” Iruka said.  Ignoring the threat, he pressed closer to the place where Hatake stood.  After an exchange of glances and a polite smile from his target, suddenly, Iruka was thrown back on his heels; Kotetsu and Izumo dropped to their knees, clutching at their chests.  

As a crowd gathered round the two men struggling to stand, Kinoe and his master slip away.

“The hell was that?” Kotetsu groaned.

“A revelation of his power,” Iruka panted as he reached down for Izumo’s hand.  “Sorry, forgot to give you guys talismans--”

“He wasn’t trying to kill us, that's sure,” Izumo panted,  “bought himself enough time to get away is all.”

Suddenly a man dressed in white robes broke through the crowd; Michio, the young monk. “Quickly … come with me,” he said.

 Recherché

“What the hell was that, Ibiki?”

“Amateurs ... probably got hold to new wine--" 

 “Shouldn’t we follow them?” Ryota asked as the three men limped off, "Looked as if they were struck with great force by something--”

“Leave 'em go; they stayed away from the family which was my only concern.  Raidou and Aoba will continue surveillance and we’ll soon find out what they were up to.  Come on, let’s get out of here.”

 Recherché

“Well, Shizune ... where is he?”

“I don’t understand ma’am.  They were standing less than ten feet away from me and then they just ... disappeared.”

“Capital idea, think I’m gonna pull my own disappearing act.   See if you can find Ibiki ...  tell him to meet me first thing in the morning. I'll send the carriage back for you.”