Chapter Text
Genshin took a small breath in a failed attempt to stop his rage.
Tonight had not been his night. He was going to find some way to stop The Professor, no matter what it took.
He looked up from the paper he’d been holding, realizing he had crumpled it in his hand. He had pieced together the identity of The Professor, and it threatened to overwhelm him. He shut his eyes, breathing deeply once more, fighting off the tears.
He could cry when it was all over. He had work to do.
Head high, he set the paper down on his desk, folding it neatly as he set it back into place. He was comforted by the familiar sound of his feet on the ground as he paced the space around his desk, something that he was most certainly known to do when he was pondering a difficult investigation. If only the other detectives knew just how complicated the situation he was in was.
He supposed it wouldn’t matter in the end, no matter what he did. He knew the identity of The Professor, and he was going to have to reveal it to the city as a whole. It was his obligation as a protector of the people of London to let them know the identity of this most feared criminal.
But if he were to say something about it, what would happen to the legal system? It was possible the people’s faith in it would crumble entirely which, if this were anything to say about it, may be something that they had long been due. Genshin was not one to overlook the practices his fellow detectives held, how quick they were to judge the people around them, to throw the poor into a cell while the rich came away unscathed, not even a slap on the wrist.
And if Klimt had been killing his fellow men, perhaps it was about time that the world lost faith in the van Zieks family.
He adjusted his clothes and his hair, knowing that he had to present himself as immaculate else he would never be taken seriously. Then he strode his slow way down to the Lord Chief Justice’s office. His mood was dark and his frown darker, but it was nothing the people of London were not used to. He had haunted their city for six years, never really fitting in to what they expected of him, not daring to try.
His steps echoed as he walked the long hallway down to the Lord Chief Justice’s desk, now populated by a man who had rubbed Genshin the wrong way since the first they had met. He bowed his greeting to the man, who hardly looked up.
“Detective Asougi? It is rather late for you to be meeting me. I have places to be.”
He nodded his head. “Of course, Sir Vortex. I shall only be a moment of your time.”
“I can only hope that’s true. What is it you needed from me?”
“Sir, I know the identity of The Professor.”
That caught the man’s attention. He straightened his back and stood slowly, taking his own precious time as he walked towards Genshin, cane in hand. He used the cane to push up Genshin’s chin to get him to look him straight into the eyes, something he would have done anyway and that flung him into a small rage. He took a breath and continued.
“The Professor is—”
“Ah ah ah. Detective Asougi, I need you to know that we here in London do not throw around baseless accusations for such high crimes. If you are accusing someone, you best have the highest form of evidence, and if I find even a modicum of falsehood or doubt within your testimony you will be severely punished. Deported or worse. I implore you to think long and hard about what you are about to say.”
Genshin narrowed his eyes, biting back a sneer. It wasn’t as though he was stupid. He had been thinking over this particular mystery for weeks, and perhaps he had known the answer for some time without wanting to admit it to himself.
It was only when the Lord Chief Justice had been murdered that he realized he needed to do something about it immediately. The time had come to be brash.
“Lord van Zieks, sir.”
Without a shift in his facial expression, Vortex swung the head of his cane at the back of Genshin’s knee, forcing him to kneel with one leg. He maintained eye contact, not allowing Vortex the satisfaction of getting him to cry out.
“That is exactly the kind of thing I was afraid you would say, Detective Asougi. If you wished to be reassigned, there are far easier ways.”
Genshin stood, brushing himself off. “That is not why I am saying this. I am saying it because it is true. I am not a liar, nor do I rush into situations of which I don’t know the outcome. I know he is The Professor.”
“Where is your proof?”
Genshin grit his teeth. “At the moment, he has left none. I have none. He is meticulously neat and clean, and has been careful not to leave anything to be found. But we must find something. We must launch an investigation into his conduct. We have to act before someone else gets hurt.”
Vortex glared at him. “I do not have to do anything. You will do your best to learn that. I am the Lord Chief Justice, and I say the evidence is insufficient.”
“So we sit and wait for someone else to die? You sit in your office, knowing that what I say is likely the truth, and do nothing? We must do something! We have to act.” He clenched his fist, staring him down.
“If you are so adamant about acting upon this insane hunch, you may see yourself out. I shall be speaking to the Head of Scotland Yard about the proper punishment for you. Do not be surprised if your job is gone by morning.”
Genshin gritted his teeth, trying to control the angry twitch in his face as his stomach lurched. He forced himself to bow. “Yes, Sir Vortex. Thank you for your time.”