The Danish cold case (2)

Press and paparazzi swarmed the cryogenics lab as the head researcher went completely pale. The police weren't even stopping the press from entering. Per Kintaro's orders, they were simply ordered to guide the press in an orderly fashion to the secret room. There, they were roped off, but could still see the crime scene and frozen figures as the forensics team got to work.

"And what's with this spectacle?" a forensics member named Moribe growled.

"A countermeasure. Assuming these people are the real deal, or at the very least clones, all the public coverage will act as protection against any who might seek to keep this hidden," Kintaro stated.

"The dead guy on the ground is indeed a researcher and looks like he was killed a few hours ago. Looks like the tip was right. Though who'd have thought we'd stumble upon this trove of mysteries," Kaemi stated.

                                                                               ...

"Looks like it went through," Reiju smiled as she read Shiruka's message.

She then showed Chika the pictures Shiruka had taken.

"So that guy's a former president?" Chika asked.

"I guess so. It says he was president about 30 years ago," Reiju stated.

"So he's been frozen for 30 years!?"

"Possibly. Though the others are supposedly former world leaders too."

"So is this a big deal, I mean don't famous people freeze themselves frequently?"

"That's the thing. Why is there an American President here along with a few other world leaders of old? It also leads credence to the theory that the researcher was murdered for discovering the room."

"Hmm? Are you that girl from the news?" a voice asked.

Reiju turned to see a middle school girl with short brown hair. Despite being younger, an air of maturity surrounded her.

"And who are you?" Reiju snarled.

"My name is Reika Yuzume. I've been wanting to meet you Ginkawa-san," the girl stated.

"Reika and Reiju? You two are both Reis!" Chika said.

"What do you want? I'm not exactly keen on my fame," Reiju glared.

"No, I'm not here to bother you about your fame, rather I'm curious as to why you decided to accuse Representative Ruchi Ookuma of being part of a conspiratorial organization," Reika smiled.

"You a supporter of hers?"

"Hmm? I guess perhaps I overestimated your abilities."

"How so? You clearly know who I am, plus your asking me about a conspiratorial organization. Of course I'd be on guard."

"No, you jumped to the conclusion that I supported Ookuma. For a junior detective, that's quite the misstep."

"Junior detective?"

"I heard about the murder case here at your school. Through my connections, I was able to learn that you helped out the police with their investigation. Then by pure coincidence, I went by the beauty salon the other day and heard about how you solved not one, but two murder cases from a stylist. Then as I was researching, your gaffe was shown on the news. I am here because I wish to lend my knowledge and intellect to discovering the mastermind behind these cases."

"Yeah, no. It's dangerous."

"So this Illumous you claim Ookuma is apart of is allegedly behind the mysterious spectacle occurring at Hie Cryogenics this very second?"

Reiju and Chika froze as Reika smiled proudly.

"No way you could know that, your middle school is just across the way, and I'm positive they don't have TVs in the classrooms there," Reiju stared.

"We do have a computer lab, though you are in the right ballpark for thinking of a TV. Indeed, my younger sister who is home informed me of the matter," Reika stated as she held up her cellphone.

"Now to flip the question, who is your contact within the police?" Reika asked.

"Guess you're not such a smartass yourself. I ain't telling, now we gotta go," Reiju glared.

Reika smiled as Reiju and Chika stormed away.

"Well, guess I'll just find out myself," Reika smiled.

                                                                                 ...

The head researcher sweated as he sat in a squad car.

"You can't arrest me!" he shouted.

"Sir, we're merely taking you to the station for questioning," Moribe stated.

"And what will that do!? Now I won't know what those pigs are doing! Though how did the door even open in the first place!? It's an auto lock, so even if the assassin just bolted, it would close itself. Though with those swarms of press, the auto close won't trigger do to the safety mechanism. Now everyone else will learn of that secret," the head researcher thought.

Inside the building, Kaemi finished examining the murdered researcher.

"Well this is intriguing. He was indeed killed via stabbing, but the knife wound along with the position he was found in suggests that his killer was both professional and incompetent," Kaemi stated.

"Elaborate," Kintaro stated.

"The knife wound is clean and precise, like it was done by a professional hitman, but then why is he sloppily slumped near this control panel? I was able to find a tiny spec of blood in front of the president's container suggesting he was initially stabbed there, yet he's over here at this empty container to the right. A proper hitman would have killed him instantly, yet he was able to make his way to this chamber."

"Maybe the hitman needed to make it look like he opened the chamber?"

"Doubtful, his fingerprints weren't found on the keys, rather it seems his head opened the chamber. Based on all the water around it, it's fair to assume someone was frozen in here."

"That complicates things. Our uncooperative researcher claims there is no security footage nor that he has any knowledge of this room which is a blatant lie. It will take some time to get the proper security footage, assuming it hasn't been destroyed. But if your theory is true, then I find it odd why the victim wasn't just stuffed in the chamber. That undoubtedly would have cleared any suspicion of murder considering the wound's on his back."

"I'll have to take him back to the lab for a closer analysis."

"That should be no problem once we clear a path. The big headache will be these fellows," Kintaro said as he gazed at the three other figures frozen in the room.

                                                                            ...

"These are comm devices, and they're standard for civilian use!?" Mimi asked as she gazed at a cellphone.

"Guess you really are from the 70s, though it is odd. Why do you refer to all the countries by odd names? In no recorded history can I find any mention of those names. Though Danablu is apparently a type of Danish blue cheese," Ri stated.

"Danablu is known for its cheese. Those computers sure are nifty info brokers. Wonder if Hylda made them."

"Anyway, I was also able to find something about your friends. You said one was named Mille right?"

"Yep!"

"Apparently, she's actually living close by in this city."

"Wow, you got her address? You really are an up and coming young spy. Bet you'll be a beauty in 7 or 10 years."

"And you'll be an old wrinkly hag."

"Hey! I know I'm technically over 50, but I'm clearly still 18! I'll be looking just as cute in my 20s when you mature."

"I'm not a spy though. Anyway, let's see if this Mille is indeed your friend."

                                                                                  ...

Reiju perked up when Kaemi arrived back at the station with the murdered researcher. The head researcher was also marched to the interrogation room while a group of paparazzi and press eagerly followed.

"Looks like a big one, so that anonymous tip was true then?" Yoriko asked.

"That and then some, flip on the news, I hear things are going wild," Kaemi grinned.

Nakayama glared as she emerged from the back.

"I'm going to get that trash fired for this," she snarled.

"Fired for what? Kin-kun landed a major find."

"RECKLESSNESS! What officer blatantly calls the press corp to investigate a rumored murder on private property!?"

"It worked in our favor."

"You are tainted by that trash! And you are a talented forensic officer, what a waste. Because our buffoon chief STILL refuses to officially reassign me to a more competent partner, I get called out and setback for that trash's antics!"

"Aren't you happy he's stopped dragging you everywhere?"

"NO! It's breaking protocol and setting me further and further away from ascending to superintendent general!" Nakayama huffed as she angrily stormed towards the interrogation room.

"I don't know who's more stubborn, that idiot or our chief who refuses to reassign her a new partner. Kin-kun's been pleading for years for a new partner, yet that stubborn idiot keeps trying to make them get along. Anyway, let me finish up with this guy, then we'll debrief," Kaemi said to Reiju and Chika.

                                                                               ...

As Shiruka floated around the city, he noticed the girl from his vision traveling alongside a small girl with orange hair that looked to either be 10 or 11.

"She was the one that was frozen, so why is she walking around so casually!?" Shiruka thought.

As he passed through the girl from his vision, an ID card appeared in his hand.

"Huh, guessed I unintentionally pick pocketed her, well not really, anyway it says her name is Mimi and she's from... Danablu!? What is that!?"