The armed squad and Fifth Division operatives on guard reacted swiftly as well, swinging some of their gun barrels around to block Chief Shimazaki.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
Chief Shimazaki had one arm around Suzuki Maika's neck from behind. After firing a shot into the air with the gun in his other hand, he pressed its muzzle beneath her chin and snarled:
"Everyone, move! I'm going in! Otherwise, I'll kill this woman!"
"Investigator..."
"Let him in." Grace's face darkened. She had not anticipated this turn of events.
Grace stole a glance at Suzuki Kimie. The traces of life and animation on her face had vanished, leaving it expressionless. Her eyes were pitch-black hollows, and a chilling, terrifying aura gradually spread.
Damn it, had she turned back into an evil spirit again...?
Holding Suzuki Maika hostage, Chief Shimazaki slowly approached, one step at a time.
"Chief Shimazaki, do you know what you're doing?"
Uncontainable anger surged in Grace's chest. Her blue eyes all but spat fire as she stared fixedly at Chief Shimazaki and spoke each word distinctly.
"Your Excellency, Special Commissioner, I'm only trying to save my son, Daiki." Chief Shimazaki sneered and shot back, "You want to sacrifice my son to strike some secret deal with that monster. As his father, what's wrong with what I'm doing?"
Grace's expression was stormy, her lips pressed tightly together.
She had been too hasty after all. Grace had never taken the Shimazakis seriously, treating them as expendable pawns. She had not expected the bond between father and son to run so deep that Chief Shimazaki would dare commit such an outrageous act of insubordination, turn against his superiors, and completely derail the entire plan.
*Weren't the Japanese supposed to value collectivism above all else? How could Chief Shimazaki refuse to consider