Chapter Text
Things were supposed to be better now.
ABIS had officially closed the New Cyclops Case. So Sejima was gone for good. Mizuki was safe. Iris was on the path to recovery. They were all supposed to be better now.
Both Date and Mizuki had their doubts about the case but there was nothing more to do.
They were supposed to be moving on.
And maybe they might have been able to; put all these horrible events in their past and leave them there. At least that was what Date was hoping when he and Mizuki had finally gone out for dinner to get their hard-earned vomit-stew.
But before he could even enjoy his stew he received a frantic phone call from Hitomi.
At first when he saw her name, Date thought it would be good news. That maybe Iris was ready to go home from the hospital. But instead of sounding relieved, Hitomi was utterly distraught. Date’s heart ached just hearing the anguish in her voice.
“It’s Iris!” She’d sobbed. “She’d just woken up, I… I went to go find a doctor. But when we came back- we came back and she was gone!”
Date’s felt like his stomach was dropping as he jumped up from the table.
“Hey! What the heck Date?!” Mizuki snapped, grabbing her bowl before it got knocked over.
“We have to go. Now.” Not even thinking twice, Date grabbed Mizuki and ran for the shop doors. “It’s Iris. She just went missing.”
Realizing what was happening, Mizuki stopped fighting with Date and fell in step with him as they both sprinted for the car.
Still on the phone with Hitomi, Date asked. “Has the hospital been locked down?”
“Yes. But I was gone from the room for over 10 minutes.” There was a pause, there was a hitch in Hitomi’s voice as she said. “Oh god, I should have never left her side!”
“No! Hitomi listen, you can’t blame yourself. Just try and stay calm until we get there.”
A crisp, urgent voice rang through the car as Aiba popped out of Date’s eye-socket and sat down on the dashboard. “You’re about 20 minutes away from the hospital. Following all highway-regulated speed limits.”
Date nodded. He could probably make it in 12 then. As he sped down the street he asked. “Can you see anything inside there Aiba?”
“No. The hospital’s camera-feed is heavily secure. Not to mention, looking at such security footage of patients would violate their right to privacy. I cannot gain access to their system without proper authorization or a warrant.” Aiba answered curtly.
“Dammit! What about cameras outside, not a part of the hospital? Has anyone suspicious entered the area in the last hour?”
“Suspicious is a relative term. But no. And no one matching Iris’s appearance has been seen either.” Aiba added.
“Well keep your eye on all entrances or exits. Even if the hospital’s on lock-down there’s still a chance our assailant could be able to escape, if they haven’t already.”
“Shit!” Mizuki shouted, bringing her fist down on the dashboard. Hard.
“Hey! Language!” Date chided. “And watch the falcon, he’s sensetive!”
“How the hell did this happen?” Mizuki snapped. “And who would even want to hurt Iris?!”
“She does bring up a good point.” Aiba replied. “While we have a few moments let’s try and think of who could possibly be behind an attack like this.”
Date was seething, and his heart was still racing, but he knew she was right. So while taking a calming breath, Date went through a mental check-list of any potential culprits.
Date hated that Ota was the first person to come to mind.
But he couldn’t help it. Ota was a liar, and a creep, and clearly wanted to prove himself to Iris. But Ota wouldn’t directly try to hurt or endanger her. Also they’d been in the hospital together for days now, so it seemed strange that he’d wait until after he was discharged to sneak back in to kidnap her. Counterproductive.
But Ota wasn’t Iris’s only fan. There was that Yakuza boss. There were hundreds of other fans across the entire city. While Iris wasn’t the biggest idol she did have a very strong cult-following. News had gotten out that A-Set been hurt. Any dangerous, obsessive fan could have heard and seen this as the perfect opportunity to kidnap their favorite star.
It also occurred to Date that maybe So Sejima hadn’t been hiding in that polar-bear suit the night Iris and Ota had been attacked. Perhaps it had been someone else?
But their only clear suspect for that case had been So. His blood was found at the scene of the crime. And while his motive for the murders were unclear he had connections to most of the victims. Except for Iris that is. Date still didn’t know why So had decided to go after her…
But regardless of motive, So Sejima had been shot and was now dead.
The only other person who had been present at the first kidnapping had been Ota’s Mom. Could she have done this?
Aiba suddenly cut in. “I’m sorry to interrupt your galaxy-brain moment but neither Ota or his Mother could have done this.”
“And you know this how?” Date sighed.
“Since being discharged yesterday, Ota and his mother have gone to visit a mental health clinic in the Koto District.”
“Ota’s finally getting his mother to talk to someone?” Mizuki pipped up.
“It would appear so. Mrs. Matsushita was scheduled for an appointment. And both she and her son were logged-in to the clinic’s system. At this time of day it would take them over an hour to arrive at the central hospital, therefor, Mrs. Matsushita and her son, Ota, could not be Iris’s kidnappers.” Aiba explained.
“I see.” Date replied.
Mizuki nodded before decking Date in the arm.
“The hell was that for!?” Date hissed, his arm felt like it was on fire.
“That’s for accusing my friend and his Mom of being a bad people!” Mizuki huffed.
Date was tempted to tell Mizuki right then about all the weird stuff Ota had been doing online. Pretending to be four different people, saying mean things about A-Set just so the “real him” could defend her online. But he decided to hold his tongue on that. Now was definitely not the time.
“We’ll be arrivng at the hospital in just a few moments.” Aiba replied after a few beats of silence. “I have also contacted Central Hospital’s security department to request access to their records. I should be able to see all of their camera feeds soon.”
With that, Aiba flew back into his eye socket and Date and Mizuki began making their way to the Central Hospital. Date honestly couldn’t get Aiba’s security results soon enough. With no obvious suspects and no clue how Iris had been taken this case depended on Aiba seeing that hospital footage. Tensions were high as they finally arrived.
Thankfully when the hospital went on lock-down they took it seriously, the main entrance was barricaded with patrols, nobody was getting in or out without proper clearance.
As they made their way through the lobby Aiba finally was granted access by the Hospital’s security.
“I will begin combing through all security feeds from the past 24 hours and use ABIS’s facial-recognition software to flag any footage with Iris’s face. I will also take this time to look at her medical records for her most recent visit.”
“Why would you do that?” Date asked.
“Because, if Iris is no longer here, we need to assess how bad her injuries are and what the potential risks are for her being taken before she’s fully recovered.” Aiba explained. “Even if her kidnappers are non-violent, taking her away from medical professionals could be incredibly dangerous for Iris.”
Fuck. He hadn’t even thought of that.
“I swear, when I find out who did this to Iris, I’m bringing them in myself.” Date muttered to himself. “Straight to the E.R.”
“Date I know you are upset, but please try to control yourself.” Aiba warned. “Getting angry won’t help you find Iris.”
Before Date could grumble, he heard a familiar voice call his name.
“Detective!”
Date turned to see Hitomi stepping out of an elevator. Mizuki raced across the lobby to hug her teacher. And Date was close behind.
He couldn’t help but ask. “Are you ok?”
Hitomi sighed. This whole week had been horrible for her, between the attack and Iris’s hospitalization. Hitomi looked like she was barely holding on. “I… I’m fine. But we have to find Iris. The hospital has their entire security team searching, but they haven’t found her yet.”
“We’re going to find her, Ms. Sagan.” Mizuki said, her voice muffled slightly with her face smooshed into Hitomi’s sweater. “I promise.”
Date tried to rack his brain for anything he could ask Hitomi, anything she hadn’t already said. “Can you think of anyone who would target Iris like this?”
Hitomi just shook her head. “Not now, not after everything we’ve been through…”
When Aiba’s voice chimed in his head, Date had never been more-relieved to hear her voice.
“Date! I found Iris! She entered a janitor’s closet five minutes ago.”
“What floor?” Date didn’t even care that he was talking out-loud.
“5th floor, storage room 533. But Date listen-” Aiba tried to say.
But Date was already on the move, sprinting up the stairwell. “We got a location!”
“Finally!” Mizuki hollered, right behind Date.
“Date! Wait!” Aiba snapped. “This isn’t a kidnapping situation!”
Date kept racing up the stairs, but the fury that had been raging in him for the past half-hour began to fade away. “What? What do you mean?”
“Iris isn’t being attacked.” Aiba explained. “She’s trying to run away.”
“Why the hell would she do that?”
“I don’t know. But I saw the footage.”
Taking a moment, Aiba brought up several recordings.
Date watched as Iris woke up from her medically-induced coma.
And as soon as Hitomi was out the door, Iris struggled out of the bed and rushed over to the bathroom.
For a few moments she just stood there. Staring at herself in the mirror. Like she was looking at a ghost. She brought a hand up to her face as if she couldn’t understand what she was seeing. It was honestly rather unnerving.
Then, just quick as she’d been getting out of bed; she scanned the room, grabbed a nurse’s jacket and medical mask and left the room. She was trying to be quick, but she was weak. Her legs shook with each step.
Date saw the footage of her in a stairwell. It was honestly hard to stomach. Watching Iris take one step at a time. Slow and weak. Several points her legs almost gave out and Iris had to grip the stairwell will all her might to stay standing and not tumble down the stairs. But she kept going. Whatever was going on in Iris’s head it was making her desperate to run. Somehow, she managed to make it down three sets of stairs before an alarm went off. Then Iris re-entered the main hall and snuck into the nearest closet.
“What the hell is she thinking?!” Date couldn’t believe it. It always seemed like the moment he had Iris figured out, the girl would do something odd like this.
At times Date wondered if he ever really knew her at all.
From behind, Date heard Mizuki groan. “God! Why the hell did you choose stairs?”
“We’re almost there.” Date huffed. “But be careful, Aiba didn’t see anyone with Iris. She ran on her own.”
Mizuki looked up at Date, confused. “Why would she do that?”
“No clue.” Date said. “You have any idea?”
“No.” Mizuki said, a little too quickly for Date’s liking.
Date wasn’t sure what to make of that. He knew Mizuki and Iris had been close. Mizuki considered the other girl her best friend, practically her older sister. They knew things about each other. Things Mizuki and Iris never shared with Date, at least not directly or willingly. It wasn’t that far-fetched to think that the girls had more secrets.
“Well we’re gonna find out.” Date said.
Following Aiba’s directions, he and Mizuki found themselves directly in front of a janitorial closet.
Date took a moment to pause. Focusing in on the task before him.
Then he gently opened the door.
“Iris?”