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”I'm not here in any official capacity, you know. I'm off duty right now."
Across the holographic wall that separates them, Kougami relaxes into his chair, though the wariness doesn't leave his eyes. Meetings between an inspector and a latent criminal are generally recorded, as per protocol, but today Risa signed into the correctional facility as a civilian, so the visit is left unmonitored; a fairly obvious loophole, though Risa supposes it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. No normal person, civilian or not, would risk potential psycho-hazard to come here anyway.
"What are you doing here, Aoyanagi?"
Blunt and to the point, as always. Risa is probably the last person Kougami expects to come visit him at the correctional facility, but to his credit, Kougami doesn't appear the least bit fazed. Risa smiles.
"Can't I come visit a friend?"
"You're not the type to make random social calls."
"Who said this was one?"
"Then why are you here?"
"I'm getting there now. Don't be impatient." Risa chides. The banter, at least, is familiar. If Risa tries hard enough, she can even picture Kougami in his old tailored suit instead of the bland, rumpled mess he has on right now. A shame, really. For old time's sake, Risa adds cheekily, "Besides, it's bad form to answer a question with another question."
Kougami rolls his eyes. "Answer the damn question, Aoyanagi. We don't have all day."
Civilians are only granted thirty minutes per visit. Risa's only here to deliver a message, so she doubts she needs that much time. "Ginoza-kun put in a request for a new enforcer two weeks ago."
A brief pause, before Kougami answers with a curt and impersonal, "Good."
"The system hasn't found any acceptable candidates yet, so the chief asked if he had anyone in mind," Risa continues. "Ginoza-kun submitted a nonimation. I endorsed it. The chief approved."
This is hardly standard procedure, but the implication is clear. With no clever retort on his tongue, Kougami can merely blink in response. Risa lets herself feel a little smug at rendering him speechless for once.
Risa doesn't mention how they were up for promotion this year - all three of them - but considering the circumstances, it doesn't seem likely that she or Ginoza will even pass preliminary evaluation. But there's always next year, and, failing that, then the year after that. Risa has enough things to worry about as it is.
(Wisely, Risa doesn't mention the specimen case, or how the chief took Division 1 off the case and gave it to her division instead. She also doesn't mention how she had to tie up all their loose ends only to have the file be written off from the database entirely. No questions, no answers. The system will take care of everything. Toma Kozaburo is still missing, and she's on a virtual gag order.
No one has the clearance to access those files anymore.)
"Well, that's all I came here to say." Uncrossing her legs, Risa starts to get up from her seat. "I just thought you deserved a head's up before Ginoza-kun pays you a visit."
The wariness in Kougami's eyes sharpens to something Risa can't quite name - Purpose? Anticipation? Something undoubtedly dangerous, though she can't exactly blame him when they both have unfinished business out there. Risa decides that she prefers it to seeing Kougami waste and rot away in here. He's always been more alive out in the field.
"Guess I'll see you around then." Risa says, a satisfied smile on her lips as she makes her leave. "You owe me lunch, enforcer."