The parking lot beside the Police Box in Beika Town's first district.
As the Santana came to a stop, Luo Shu got out and asked Tachibana Kirika, who had just parked beside them:
"Is there a reason you had Inoue drive us here instead of going back to the café?"
"Didn't I already tell you? What we gained this time was nowhere near enough to make me stop."
Having just stepped out of her car, Tachibana Kirika held her index and middle fingers together in something resembling a salute:
"Besides, they ambushed one of my subordinates. I couldn't swallow that without getting them back."
Luo Shu paused at her words, then gave her an odd look. "But Chief, didn't you just say we were pulling out?"
"That was a necessary precaution in case someone was listening in. Hey, kid, don't underestimate Sharon the Pure. That could get you killed."
Tachibana Kirika slammed the car door shut, then raised a hand to press her earpiece:
"Kurumi, where's Mizuki with the cargo?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Kurumi's voice came over the shared channel:
"Yeah, yeah, she just came off the ring road. Estimated arrival in six minutes."
"I've contacted the Metropolitan Police Department's Special Action Team and told them to bring the special rounds, just as you asked. But Chief, do we really need to go this far? You're even bringing that thing out."
"We have to let those people from the Secret Organization know we're not easy targets!"
At that, Tachibana Kirika gave a teasing smile:
"Otherwise, do you think the people at the Metropolitan Police Department would willingly cooperate with me and dispatch the Special Action Team?"
"Those bigwigs are fuming too. They'd only just reported to their superiors that she'd been deported, and then she immediately made