Vices: A Race **Chapter 006**

“Can’t believe that I didn’t recognize it sooner,” Mack grumbled, ruffling his brown curls, “All I needed was to find something similar in this damned apartment and compare it! Now I’ve got a fucking mess on the floor,” he looked down at the glass bottle he had shattered fifteen minutes prior, “But I’ve got a lead. Amazing job.”

He blinked the sleepiness out of his tired eyes and reached for his phone, quickly dialling a familiar number and waiting. It rang for a few seconds until a lady picked up, Mack hearing her stepping on the gas and twisting the wheel a little bit.

“Damn it all – why are you answering while driving?”

“Technically, you called. Plus, I’ve got the thing that secures the phone while you drive – forgot what it’s called – so technically, I’m not exactly holding the phone while driving.” He snickered slightly at her answer. “What is it? I’ve got a casino to go to.”

“Don’t tell me you’re gambling, Little Miss Brit.”

“Of course not, it’s for investigative purposes,” she huffed.

“Touchy. Alright. Remember that glass shit Touta sent over for me to study?”

“Yeah, of course. What about it?”

“I figured out what it is. It’s the little glass bottles that hold medicines,” Mack snorted. “I just realized it after seeing one myself in my place. Decided to smash it up, pieces definitely looked similar. Although the cover was missing.”

“A medicine container…”

“The ones that hold vitamin C and whatever.”

“Alright, so that’s one lead we’ve got.”

“Yup – and here’s another thing. I did some studying on the given shards. There’s no trace of liquid, no shit on it. I don’t think the thing contained poison.”

“So if it wasn’t used for holding poison…”

“It held pills,” he finished. “And what could have killed them?”

“The pills.”

“Exactly.”

A was quiet for a moment. “But what pills can kill – what, did they OD?”

“I don’t think it was an OD. Must have tampered with the pills themselves.”

“That’s almost impossible.”

“Not unless you get them from reallly shady parts here in Tokyo. You know, underground crime syndicates and pot-smoking thugs in the dark alleys at night.”

“You can’t exactly tamper with pills…unless it’s been tampered to begin with.”

“You’re losing me. Care to explain?”

“Look, it’s simple. Pills that can kill when consumed.”

“Suicide pills?”

“Most likely.”

“I’ll get right on that for you.”

“Find if there’s anyone in here selling those pills. If you do, ask for recent buyers. We can get potential suspects through that, rule some out if ever, and then find the culprit.”

“Got’cha.” The call ended and he glanced at the clock on the wall, muttering something about needing two extra mugs of coffee for the day.

Going downtown, A had contacted Touta and told him about her current plan. The Japanese had responded that it was a good place to start, and asked her to come as soon as possible. Turning the wheel at the sight of the brightly-lit casino, she drove in and parked before unbuckling and stepping out.

“It is an honor to hold one of Tokyo’s most prestige police officers,” the man (later known as Hayato) inside later replied upon hearing her introduce herself. “The murder here was a shame – it nearly tarnished the name of this place,” he sighed, and she nodded sympathetically, “But we still managed to grow strong. So what can I do for you today, Ms. Maxwell?”

“I have to check out your CCTV footage of that night,” she explained. “I understand that you do have a camera by the entrance?”

“Of course, of course. Almost all casinos do. Would you be using that footage for studying?”

“Yes, my team and I would appreciate it very much if we had permission to use it.”

“It’s not a bother at all. Follow me.”

She followed the man to one of the more hidden rooms and watched as he knocked on one of the doors, “Akio! We need you to come out for a moment.” A man dressed in a sleek suit with short hair came out, surprised at the appearance of his boss with a police officer, “Sorry to trouble you, but  Ms. Maxwell here just needs the surveillance tape from the night of the murder that happened a few weeks ago.”

“I’ll get right on that,” he promised. “Come in, please.”

Both followed him inside, Hayato closing the door. “Akio here is in charge of the surveillance cameras,” he explained to A, “These tapes never really are erased. We keep them here in events such as these.”

Akio was searching the database for the tape, a new CD sitting next to him. “I’ll be burning the whole thing into the CD for you. Do you need any other footage?”

“Just the outside would be lovely, thanks.” Akio hesitated a little bit.

“I might have to warn you though – the cameras outside aren’t as good as the ones inside. There’s no chance to zoom in. If you do, the resolution gets bad and quality isn’t that great. I hope that isn’t any trouble.”

“Not at all,” she assured him. “I’ll just take the CD and I’ll be set. That’s all I need.”

“While you wait, would you like something to drink? I can ask someone to make you something nice.” Hayato offered, but A turned him down with a smile and Akio was soon burning the file into the CD. “Not an alcohol lover, Ms. Maxwell?”

“I’d rather take it easy in the mornings,” she checked her watch, “Although it’s almost afternoon. But I’ll pass. Thank you for the offer, though.” At that, Akio put the CD into its case and turned to face A, handing it to her and the woman thanking both men before leaving with Hayato. He opened the door for her on the way out.

“If you need anything else, Ms. Maxwell, you can always come back and ask for whatever you need. Here’s my card,” he handed her a business card from his coat pocket, “I’ll be the one to handle your investigative needs if you may return.”

“I appreciate that very much, Mr. Hayato. Thank you for your warm accomodations this morning.” Hayato chuckled and waved as she left before going back inside, A glancing at the CD before getting into her car and starting the engine.

In the office, Peters and Touta were waiting to come back, files at the desk and cups of coffee now emptied. Touta had been walking around, the caffiene spike having gotten to him and making him twitchier than ever. Peters raised a brow at this.

“You’re twitchier than me after spotting a beautiful lady.”

“I shouldn’t have had that extra espresso shot,” he muttered.

“Yes, well – oi, is that A’s car?”

“Finally!” Touta snapped. A entered the office a few minutes later with her things and a CD container, she immediately setting up without greeting the other two. “You got the footage?”

“Obviously, it’s on the CD – hold on, let me get this thing up.” She opened the CD case after and slid the CD in, A quickly taking a seat and clicking on the respective files before the video player appeared on the screen. A second passed and the scene immediately began to play.

“There he is,” Peters squinted at the screen, “That’s either really dim lighting or terrible quality. I thought casino CCTVs were good?”

“Only on the inside, apparently,” she sighed. “Which is a shame.”

Touta studied the man silently, drinking from his coffee cup. “He looks anxious to me. Looks like he lost a lot and just wants to get home.”

“Waiting for a cab or a friend?”

“Most likely a cab, if it was a friend, he would have gone out with them.” Touta nodded and they all continued watching, the victim soon joined by another man.

“Long-ass coat he got there. And the hat – must all assholes wear a Fedora?”

“Quiet, I’m trying to hear them talk.”

“You can’t.” Peters looked at A, “Volume’s shit. And it only records video, not audio.”

“By the looks of it though, he’s doing some pretty nice small talk. Guy here looks a bit more relaxed and – holy shit,” the brunette American felt his stomach lurch as the newcomer took something out of his pocket, “Shit, is that a pill or something? God! Can’t we zoom in?”

“We can’t, just watch!”

The three of them fell silent as the man offered the other a pill, the victim taking it gratefully and searching for something.

“Did he just offer a drink?”

“That’s a beer,” Peters said slowly. “Just like the one I drink.” The victim took the pill and then drank away, the man taking it back, gently patting the other on the back and walking off, having wished him a good night.

The next seconds were normal – Peters wondered when it would happen.

“Oh my God,” A whispered.

The man had fallen on his knees, clutching at his throat and starting to convulse. A woman ran to himand the man kept pointing in that direction, A’s eyes wide with horror as the man keeled over and stopped moving.

It was at that point when more people had arrived, others calling 911. She recognized Hayato stepping out, stopping, and he had said something none of them heard.

The recording cut off.

“So it really was the pill,” Touta muttered. “Thomas got in touch with us an hour ago, telling us what he told you. That it was a medicine bottle, and that it didn’t seem to have liquid poison on it or anything.”

“The pills…”

“We’ve got a lead now,” Peters stood up, clasping A’s shoulder, “And that’s something to look forward to.”

She nodded slowly.

“I’m going to study that CD.” Touta ejected it from A’s laptop, “And the form of the man who gave the pill. You with me, A?”

“Of course.” the woman pulled herself together, clearing her throat, “Peters, do you think you can do some kind of sketch?”

“I can do that.”

“Come on then,” Touta’s coffee-brown eyes met A’s green ones, “Let’s get to work.”