Case 2

Rain pelted down as it splashed against the café windows.

The café was dimly lit, which made the shadows more prominent.

The smell of coffee beans and pastries lingered in the air.

A clock up on the wall showed 1:30 PM on its face.

Willow sat at a corner table, with a green tea on his left and a Sherlock Holmes book in his hands.

He wore a black turtleneck underneath a brown peacoat, blue jeans, and brown boots.

The bell rang as the door opened.

Eliza Kure walked inside the cafe.

She had long, black hair and golden eyes.

She wore a black-sleeved shirt with high waist jeans, boots, a ruby necklace, sapphire earrings, and a purse slung over her shoulder.

Willow blinked, glancing up and following her with his eye as she walked up to the counter.

“One black coffee, please,” she said, taking out her credit card. “Extra sugar.”

Willow looked back at his book, crossing his ankles.

He turned a page as footsteps got closer to his table.

“May I sit here?”

Willow glanced up at Eliza, blinking.

“You may.”

She sat across from him and sipped her coffee as he went back to his book.

Willow paused in his reading.

“…”

He set his book down on the wooden table.

“You looked at me when you stepped inside, with no hesitation,” he murmured, leaning back in his seat. “Which means that you want to talk to me. Am I right that you’ve been watching me?”

Eliza smiled.

“You’re as observant as I thought you’d be.”

She took out a card from her purse that read “CAO—Eliza Kure, CEO,” and put it on the table.

“I’m trying to create a subsidiary company within CAO, and I believe you’re the best person to lead it.”

Willow stared at the card, and then at Eliza.

“I’ve never heard of CAO,” Willow said, folding his hands in his lap and crossing his legs. “What do you do?”

Eliza drank her coffee, glancing at the card, and then at Willow.

“We cater… To people like you.”

Willow grabbed onto his sleeve, adjusting his position.

“…Explain.”

“We can go into more detail once you arrive at our office, if you wish to,” Eliza said, looking at her nails.

She got up, glancing at the Sherlock Holmes book.

“Have a nice day, Mr. Harden,” she said, turning around.

She left the cafe.

Willow picked up the card and stared at it.

Willow stood in front of a tall, silver office building.

The sunset hit the glass, illuminating the shadows around the building.

A sign of the letters “CAO” were mounted on top of the entrance to the building.

Willow pulled out the card from his pocket and looked at it, before putting it away and walking up to the building.

The sound of people talking and working on computers filled the lobby.

They sat in seats or were behind the desks.

The lobby was large, with a section of chairs to the right, desks and elevators on the left, and large windows let in the light.

Willow looked around, his hand grazing his sleeve.

“Mr. Harden.”

Eliza walked up to him.

She wore a business suit, skirt, and heels.

“You came,” she murmured, looking over him.

“Yes,” Willow said, moving his hand back.

“Well, then follow me.”

Willow followed her to an elevator, and they entered it.

Eliza pushed a button for the 10th floor, and the elevator moved upwards.

The elevator dinged, and they exited it, walking down hallways and coming up to a door that had the words “Eliza Kure, CEO”, on it.

They entered the room.

Full windows overlooked the city, with a view of the river in the distance.

Various bookshelves of books having the subjects of psychology, medicine, and other topics, were on the right side of the room, with a desk, a couch, and a bookshelf on the left side.

Various photographs of different people with the last name “Kure” were on the left wall near the door.

Eliza sat down at her desk.

“Please, take a seat,” she said, indicating the couch.

Willow looked at the couch.

“Thank you.”

He sat down, putting his hands on his lap, his eyes wandering around the bookshelf behind her.

His eyes lingered on a photograph.

The photograph was faded yellow, and it showed a group of people.

There were seven men in the photograph, one of them being an old man, and a young woman in the center, wearing 19th century clothing.

Eliza’s eyes followed Willow’s gaze, and she glanced at the photograph.

“…”

She faced Willow, and folded her hands together.

“You wish to know what CAO is about,” she murmured.

“Yes,” Willow replied.

Eliza brought out pamphlets from inside her desk.

“CAO stands for ‘Criminal Assistance Organization’,” she explained. “We are a government funded organization that has a program where criminals of various crimes have the option to join the program whether they want their jail time reduced or revoked, depending on the ruling we can get for them. Members have the choice to stay in the jail that’s on our property or live on their own. The people that are outside the property are monitored. In addition, all members are required to go to therapy.”

“So, you mean, you jail the people in the program or monitor them if they decide not to live on the premises.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Willow looked at the pamphlets, and then squeezed his sleeve.

“…Have my crimes become known to you?”

“Yes, I’ve known for a while,” Eliza said, nodding.

Willow stared at the pamphlets again, narrowing his eyes.

“You instead want me to head a second venture.”

“That’s right.”

She brought out a large folder.

“I want to put to use the skills of our members into a team of mercenaries,” Eliza murmured, running a hand over the folder. “The shareholders don’t believe in the project, but I think it can work, under the right guidance. And you fit the bill. After all, three years ago, you stopped the ‘Rooftop Killer’ by forming a team on your own and stopping him from committing more crimes. That’s how I first learned of you.”

Willow picked up the folder.

“And you want me to choose the members.”

“Yes.”

“Any criteria I must fulfill?” Willow asked, tilting his head.

“It’s up to your discretion,” Eliza said, shaking her head. “I need to leave for a while. Feel free to look at the members of our program.”

She left the room.

Willow looked at the faded photograph, before opening the folder and flipping through the files.

He paused, blinking his eyes.

The sun had set, with stars filling up the sky outside the windows.

Eliza stared at the five files on her desk.

“So, these are the men you choose?” she asked.

Willow stood in front of the desk, hands behind his back.

“Yes,” he murmured.

“Some of them are from the Rooftop Killer case.”

“We worked well together.”

“And you think they’d follow your orders?”

“Correct.”

Eliza chuckled.

“Well, good luck,” she said, looking up at Willow. “I can tell where they—”

“I already know how to contact them.”

Eliza blinked, staring at him, and then smiled.

“I see. Give me a call when you’ve recruited them.”

“Understood,” Willow said, bowing.

Eliza watched as he left.

“Willow Harden…” she murmured, tapping her chin. “What an interesting man you are…”

Jason looked up as Willow entered the apartment, holding a console controller in his head.

“There’s some pizza if you want it,” he said, pointing at a box on the living room table.

“Thank you.”

Willow moved to the table, grabbing a plate, and putting a pizza on it.

Jason picked up a soda and sipped it.

“So, did you go on one of your nightly ‘walks’?”

Willow sat down next to him.

“I did not.”

Jason put down the soda, and grabbed onto the controller, staring at the TV as he mashed the buttons.

“Yeah? What’d you do, then?”

Ember trotted over and nudged Willow, purring.

Willow scooted him away from his plate, staring at him.

“It is not for you,” Willow said, moving his plate to the other side of his lap.

Ember meowed and walked over to a bed.

Willow glanced at Jason, and then looked at the TV.

“I was recruited.”

“For what?”

Willow took a bite of pizza.

“To lead a group of men who will act as mercenaries,” he murmured.

“…”

Jason paused the game.

“…You’re joking, right?” he asked, looking at Willow.

“I do not joke.”

“And someone thought you should be the commander?”

“I was most likely the best option.”

“Of course you’d be,” Jason muttered, scrunching his nose and leaning against the couch. “And this is legit? It’s not illegal?”’

“The company is being funded by the government.”

“Huh…”

Jason scratched his head.

“What about your dad? Does he know?”

Willow blinked.

“I can do both.”

Jason tilted his head.

“What? Dude, I don’t think that’s how it works…”

“I’m sure that the woman who recruited me will explain it to him.”

“Wait, a woman recruited you?”

Jason smirked.

“What’s she like? Is she gorgeous?”

“She is beautiful.”

Jason laughed.

“Beautiful, huh? You don’t normally notice things like that. She must be something for you to say that.”

Willow ate his pizza.

“You will meet her in a few days.”

“Huh?”

“I want you to be my second in command,” Willow said, looking at Jason.

“What?!” Jason gasped and shook his head. “I’m not like you! I’m not smart!”

“That’s not true,” Willow murmured, shaking his head. “You’re very good at fighting.”

“Hey, boxing is a professional sport. Besides, I only dabble in amateur tournaments. And I’ve gotten rusty—I haven’t done it in a while.”

“I believe in you.”

“…”

Jason sighed, shaking his head and scratching it.

“Ugh, fine. I’ll come and meet your mysterious new boss.”

“Thank you.”

“You’ve got a team yet or something?”

“I will recruit them starting tomorrow.”

“Oh, boy… What have I gotten myself into?”

Willow ate his pizza, watching Jason as he played the game.