Meetings and Snakes

"Alright, everyone, gather around. We have a case on our hands."

Taking a seat at his desk, Haruki listened as Kenji outlined their latest assignment. He was told it was the same assignment—a missing person case with no leads and no ransom demands.

"As we all know, the omega's name is Aiko Nakamura," Kenji explained, his brow furrowed as he read the information. "According to his friends, he went out with them to a club last Friday night and hasn't been seen since."

The victim, an omega from a wealthy family with ties to the entertainment industry, had vanished without a trace over a week ago.

As Haruki listened to the details of the case, his mind raced with possibilities. Omegas like Aiko were prized commodities sought after for their ability to birth alpha children.

He picked up the picture of the Omega and furrowed his brows as he studied it. This Aiko person had typical omega features: soft contours on his face, big eyes, and pale skin.

From what he gathered, the Omega tended to lead a fast-paced lifestyle, partying and socialising with little regard for the consequences. But now, he had vanished without a trace, leaving a trail of unanswered questions.

"Are we yet to receive any leads? Videos? Ransom requests?" Ryoji asked, frowning as he passed the picture around.

"We have some videos, so take a look at the footage," Kenji said. "It's not much, but it's something to start with."

Kenji showed him the CCTV footage from the club where the Omega had been last seen, pointing out when a mysterious figure approached them.

Haruki leaned in closer, his eyes scanning the grainy images on the screen as the video played before him. The Omega looked relaxed, chatting with his friends and enjoying himself. They had fun for a while before leaving him.

He watched as the Omega sat alone at the bar, scrolling through his phone with his drink in front of him.

Then, someone approached and initiated a conversation, their gestures animated as they spoke. The two of them seemed to get along before the stranger handed the Omega something, a small vial glinting in the dim light.

"Stop," Haruki said suddenly. "Rewind that part."

Kenji complied, rewinding the footage until they reached the moment when the Omega was approached by a mysterious figure at the bar.

"There," Haruki pointed, his gaze narrowing on the screen. "Zoom in on their hands."

Haruki tensed, 'is that a drug?' Thanks to the video quality, it wasn't clear, but when paused and zoomed out, he could make out an image of curling smoke carved on the vial.

"Seems like it's a drug, though we do not know what type,"

'Heatwave?'

Haruki's thoughts went to the news he heard a few days ago.

Rekka leaned forward, his brows furrowed in thought. "Do we know who that person was? The one who approached the Omega?"

"We're not sure yet," Kenji replied. "Probably a drug pusher, but it's someone we'll need to track down."

Takahiro nodded in agreement. "We should also look into more of the club's security footage and see if we can find anything else that might help."

"Looks like we have our work cut out for us," Aya chimed in, passing Rekka her bag of snacks.

They returned to watching the video.

Aiko didn't hesitate before pouring the contents into his drink. The flicker of anticipation crossing his features before he drank said he already knew what the drugs were supposed to do. The video abruptly cut off, distorting before fading to black.

"What the? Is that all?" Haruki asked, frustration in his voice.

"Hold your horses. We discussed this," Kenji cautioned lightly, but Haruki could see that this was also new information for Kenji.

"Yes, sir," Haruki nodded, folding his hands in front of him.

Kenji sighed and turned back to the screen. "I can't believe we missed that on the first watch," he mumbles, shaking his head. "Please add this information to our report."

"Yes, sir," Aya chimed, already writing.

"So he was doing drugs, huh," Ryoji hummed, leaning back in his seat. "Not surprising. Most rich kids do them."

"The other footage we have shows Aiko-san leaving the club alone," Takahiro explained, changing the video on the screen. "He walked into an alleyway, and that's the last we saw of him."

Haruki nodded, a sense of purpose burning within him. If he checked the alley out first, there would be something there that could help. "I understand," he said, his gaze intense. I'll get to the bottom of this, no matter what it takes."

"There he goes again," Aya said, amusement in her eyes.

Kenji gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Just remember," he said, his voice soft but firm.

"Don't overdo it. Just find out what happened to Nakamura. We'll handle the extraction if it comes to that."

"Yes, sir!" Haruki nodded, getting to his feet.

"Sakurai..." his supervisor stressed. "Take it easy and focus on the task at hand."

"Yes, sir! I'll start right away!" He said, already running out of the office.

He knew just the person to meet for information on these happenings.

***********

Haruki trudged the park's winding paths. The soft carpet of fallen leaves muffled his footsteps. The sun started setting as people wound up from work and school.

Haruki found himself walking towards the canopy of a large oak tree, the usual spot for his informant.

"Yo, Officer Sakurai!"

Speak of the devil, the informant called out as he leaned back against the bench, his grin sharp and sly. "Long time no see, buddy."

Haruki glared at the Beta. He hated dealing with him. The informant, known only as "Hebi" in the underworld, was a wiry man with sharp features and shifting eyes.

His unkempt hair fell in greasy strands around his face, and his clothes hung loosely on his bony frame. His hands stayed tucked into the pockets of his trousers unless he was taking money off you.

Haruki sighed inwardly, knowing that dealing with Hebi was always a headache. "Cut the small talk, Hebi," he replied tersely. "I need information."

Hebi's grin widened at the mention of the information, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Ah, information," he mused. "You know the drill, Officer. It'll cost you."

Haruki reached into his pocket and pulled out some bills, handing them to Hebi without a word.

Hebi's smile grew wider as he counted the money, his eyes growing brighter as he realised the amount.

"You know me so well, Officer Sakurai," he quickly pocketed. "Now, what do you want to know?" Hebi asked, his voice laced with amusement.

"I need information," Haruki said tersely. "About the recent spike in drug activity."

Hebi's grin widened, revealing a row of yellowed teeth. "Ah, yes, the drugs," he said, rubbing his hands together greedily."I've been hearing some interesting rumours lately." He nodded.

"They've been circulating faster than ever, especially around certain places."

Haruki's interest was piqued. "Which places?" he asked, leaning in closer.

Hebi's grin faltered slightly, and he shrugged nonchalantly. "I could tell you," he said, "but it'll cost you."

Haruki sighed in frustration, reaching into his pocket and pulling out another wad of bills. Where does all that money go? Haruki thought as he handed them over to Hebi, who grinned gleefully and snatched them off his hands.

"Thanks, pal," Hebi said, his smile widening. "Now, about those rumours..." he paused as he counted the money.

Haruki's patience was wearing thin, but he forced himself to remain calm. "Spit it out," he demanded, his voice sharp.

"Woah, alpha! No need to get all rough on me," Hebi grinned as he stuffed the bills into his pocket. "The Aramaki family, the Kurozawa Group, and the Aoki Family," he said with satisfaction.

"They've been making some moves lately, suspicious moves. And word on the street is, they're definitely involved in the recent drug spike."

"Do you know what the drug does exactly? " Haruki asked, hoping to obtain more valuable information.

Hebi's laughter rang out, grating on Haruki's nerves. "Ah, sorry, Officer, but the money you gave me didn't cover that kind of premium intel," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"You know how these things go," he added, rubbing his fingers together.

Haruki's patience snapped, and he grabbed Hebi by the collar. His grip tightened with each second. "Don't play games with me," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Hebi's smile faltered for a moment, but then he regained his composure, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Easy there, officer," he said, tone mocking. "You wouldn't want to cause a scene now, would you? Think about what people would say if they saw you harassing a civilian."

Haruki's jaw clenched in frustration, but he released his grip on Hebi's collar, his expression dark with anger. "I'll deal with you later," he muttered, turning on his heel and striding away.

As he walked away, Hebi called out, his voice echoing through the park.

"Thank you! Oh, and Officer Sakurai," he said, his tone dripping with malice. "If you're looking for party-goers, I hear the Velvet Lounge is the place to be."

Haruki frowned, confused by the message, but he continued on his way back to his car.

He sighed as he sat by the driver's seat. That bastard had just scammed him; he had barely received any information.

'But the Yakuza being involved meant it had to be something I'm missing, something big,' he thought, leaning against his steering.

Haruki's brow furrowed at the thought of the three powerful yakuza clans. If they were involved in the drug trade, it could mean trouble for the entire city.