[Chapter 1] Memento Mori Episode 12: Secret Meeting

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Araki, the Chief of the First Investigation Division of the Metropolitan Police Department, had sought contact with Watanabe. The location was a small park facing Tokyo Bay, beneath the Rainbow Bridge, at a time when there were still few people around.
It had been ten days since Soichiro Tachibana asked him to prioritize the request from the Aoyama couple. If things went well, there would be results by next week. Watanabe had been telling himself that he would only get involved in Araki's matter after the currently ongoing case of Ryo Aoyama was completed. However, after receiving a report from Hiraoka last night that simply stated, "The same result as the Masao Yamaguchi case," Watanabe agreed to meet with Araki.

When Watanabe arrived at the pier at the appointed time, he casually scanned his surroundings, but there was no one on the street and no traffic. As he walked along the sidewalk leading to the pier, Araki, who had arrived earlier, was standing with his back to Tokyo Bay. The two men walked side by side along the park path early in the morning. However, it would not be very noticeable once the park opened.
"You look busy."
Araki muttered in a low voice, but there was an intimacy in his tone reserved for a long-time acquaintance.
"Thanks to you, we safely celebrated our twentieth anniversary in August."
"Is that so? Has it been that long already?"
Watanabe responded in silence. A cold wind blew from Tokyo Bay, and he turned up the collar of his coat.
"Your subordinate, Kanzaki, is an interesting young man."
"He is the son of a friend who passed away four years ago, and the nephew of Soichiro Tachibana, the Vice President of Shinsei Bank."
"Ah, I see."
Araki nodded as if convinced.
"So, what did your subordinate's sixth sense say?"
Ten days ago, a minor problem occurred when Naoto touched the body of Araki's subordinate, so Watanabe had told Araki that Naoto was "a subordinate with strong psychic powers."
"It seems the three bodies have something in common."
Araki's sanpaku eyes lit up.
"Did the park's security cameras capture any suspicious movements?"
Watanabe avoided mentioning the "corpse without memories" and proceeded with a realistic conversation. How much information about the undercover investigation would be disclosed depended on Araki.
After thinking for a moment, Araki said,
"There are no security cameras that overlook the entire park, but—"
He informed Watanabe that they were installed around the facilities and in the parking lot.
"What about the identities of the bodies?"
Watanabe cut straight to the point without hesitation.
"The identities will not be made public."
Saying this, Araki stopped walking and turned to face Watanabe. Watanabe also stopped and waited for Araki's words.
"Both of them were former employees of a private security company, and it seems one of them was providing personal protection for a retired judge."
"Is it a Japanese security company, or a foreign-affiliated one?"
"It's a security company with its headquarters in the United States. It is being handled carefully so that the identities are not released to the public."
Araki continued with a bitter expression.
"Does a retired judge need personal protection?"
"If it were a judge who handled major cases in the past, it's possible, but—"
Watanabe tried to recall judges who had handled dangerous cases in the past, but nothing came to mind.
"A man named Kazuo Kurokawa."
Araki mentioned the judge's name.
"Judge Kurokawa of the Tokyo District Court? I believe he retired about ten years ago."
He did not seem like someone who would need personal security. Araki watched Watanabe's puzzled expression with amusement and said,
"It seems that after retiring, Judge Kurokawa established a circle that gathered law professors and top-performing students."
"An elite group from the Tokyo Metropolitan International University?"
Watanabe replied immediately.
"Recently, it seems that some of the graduates from that circle have been flowing into the political, bureaucratic, financial, legal, and even academic worlds."
Having said that, Araki looked out at the Tokyo Bay spread out before them. In the distance, a ship moved slowly, creating thin waves on the surface of the sea.
"That is an interesting story."
Watanabe responded cautiously, but he already knew from Hiraoka's investigation that an elite group from the Tokyo Metropolitan International University was being sent into the political, bureaucratic, and legal worlds.
"My subordinate 'died in an accident,' but he left a clue in his diary."
Araki's sanpaku eyes caught Watanabe's, and he spoke slowly.
"The investigation finally led to a shipping company in Minato Ward. It's probably a paper company, but it's registered under the name Kazuo Kurokawa."
With his eyes shining sharply, Watanabe stared at Araki as if to devour his words.
"It seems they are involved in the disappearances that have been occurring for several years, but the ones actually moving the people are a foreign organization."
Watanabe clicked his tongue inwardly. If the division chief himself was revealing the details of the investigation, it meant he was going to be dragged into it.
"Have you grasped the destination?"
"For now, only Romania. Interpol will likely get involved as well."
"Romania?"
"Romania, Serbia, around that area."
For a while, silence fell between the two, but then,
"Don't you think our investigation and your inquiry are deeply related?"
Araki began to walk slowly again.
"This is strictly a background check on a young man."
Watanabe sighed and started walking alongside Araki. Voices of children began to be heard from the sports field next to the park. It was about time to bring the secret meeting with Superintendent Araki to a close.
"One last interesting story."
Araki casually brought up another topic.
"Last month, a student from the Tokyo Metropolitan International University caused a bit of a police stir."
Araki continued, keeping an eye on his surroundings.
"Despite being the son of a wealthy family, he apparently got into a dispute over money. Before it could become a court case, his parents paid off the victim to settle it, but during questioning, we obtained testimony that the money was needed for membership fees for the circle."
"I see."
Watanabe flashed a daring smile and stroked his chin.
As the number of people in the sports field increased and he watched the children practicing soccer in the morning out of the corner of his eye, they reached a small parking lot in the park, where Araki's subordinate was waiting in the driver's seat of an unmarked car. Araki invited Watanabe to get in, but,
"That was a meaningful conversation. I will contact you again."
He politely declined and watched until the car carrying Araki disappeared from view.