Lonely Thieves

Act IV, Part II

Kolya's Side (April 13, 11:00 am)

The air in the Sunshine district was very different today, and anyone who called the district home knew exactly why. They had gotten used to Hayasaka Security patrolling the streets near the Innocenti Bank Headquarters, but today there was a different atmosphere around them. They were standing at attention constantly and were extremely vigiliant, to a much higher degree than they had been previously.

Soon, the reason for the change in attitude made itself evident. A Hayasaka Security van drove up to the front of the Innocenti Bank Headquarters, and Ingrid Hayasaka stepped down from the vehicle. As she arrived, Sergeant Suleiman Faheem approached her and saluted, his stoic face not moving a single millimeter. "Greetings, Captain. Glad to see you are well."

"Thank you, Sergeant. How are things in the Sunshine district?"

"Well enough. The Innocenti family seem to be having some internal strife, but we've been able to conduct our duties properly regardless."

Ingrid nodded absent-mindedly. She needed to come around every now and then to make sure that things were doing fine without her, but her focus was entirely on recovering the necklace, not protecting the Innocenti. She had little time as it was, and she would rather not waste it helping the mafia of all people.

"You said the Innocenti are having internal strife?" she noted blithely. "What about?"

"Er, something about one of their ex-members causing trouble. The Stalker is what they've been calling him."

Ingrid recognized the name. It was in case files she had seen from her predecessors, about an elusive Innocenti assassin that gave them endless amounts of trouble.

"What happened? Why are they suddenly hunting down one of their own?"

"I don't know the details, honestly. From what I've heard, it sounds like he might be involved with the emerald necklace case."

Ingrid's ears perked up at the mention of the emerald necklace. "What makes you say that?"

"Er, just some gossip I've been hearing from the grunts around town," Faheem explained. "I don't really think it's worth paying much attention to it."

"My investigation is doing poorly enough that I'll take whatever morsel I can get," Ingrid declared. "Assemble a squad as soon as possible. We'll hunt him down and pull whatever information he can out of him."

"Hold on!" A man suddenly interrupted, emerging from the office building. He was wearing an expensive designer suit, and a pin on his lapel designated him as a capo in the Innocenti family. Ingrid glanced at Faheem, who quickly took note of her inquisitive glance.

"That is Mr. Gaspari, an executive of the Innocenti bank. He has been working with us to coordinate our protective coverage of the area."

Gaspari sauntered towards the two of them until he was standing over them with an irritated expression on his face. He had a rough countenance and a brutish face, but Ingrid could tell that he was not the kind of musclebound meathead he came off as.

"Is there a problem, Mr. Gaspari? I don't believe I've any business with you."

"Oh, is that so? Well, unfortunately that's not the case for me." Gaspari pointed a thick finger at Ingrid accusingly. "The Stalker belongs to us. Your job is to protect the bank, nothing else."

Ingrid scowled. It was true; her investigation wasn't an order from her grandfather, so she had no power to take control here. Still, that didn't mean she was out of options.

"Don't be ridiculous, Mr. Gaspari. The Stalker is clearly causing trouble in the Sunshine district, is he not? If that's the case, then it is within Hayasaka Security's jurisdiction to take him in before he does anything to the bank itself."

"Didn't you listen to me? I said the Stalker is our business!" Gaspari's voice rose up into a shout.
"And my duty is to protect this district!" Ingrid shouted back.

Gaspari glared, his veins in his forehead visibly throbbing. When Ingrid thought she might have to defend herself, he suddenly pulled himself back and took a breath, calming himself down.

"Do what you have to do," Gaspari said calmly, though with some derision clearly in his voice. "I'll warn you not to underestimate the Stalker, though. One misstep and he'll have you at the cliff's edge."

With that, he turned around and headed back into the office building. Ingrid stayed resolute until he disappeared back in, then discreetly let out a sigh of relief.

"You push too hard as always," Faheem said with a sigh. "The Innocenti tire of us already."

"There's no need to be considerate of them," Ingrid remarked coldly. "Hurry up and assemble a team of our best men. The operation will start tonight."

"Yes, sir." Faheem saluted and headed off to gather some men. Ingrid pulled her cap over her eyes as she glared at the Innocenti building. If it were up to her, she'd never let such blatant criminal acts go unpunished, but there was nothing she could do as merely the captain of Hayasaka Security. But it was better not to dwell too much on that for now.