Chapter Twenty-Seven: Akio:

July 15th, 2010.

Tsuzuki came to work with a nasty surprise awaiting him. Younger Gushoshin greeted the shinigami at the door. A puzzled look came over his face.

�Gushoshin?� he asked.

�Konoe-san says he needs to see you right now!� the bird-creature announced.

�Now?� Tsuzuki asked. �But why?�

�He needs to see you now,� Gushoshin pushed.

�Okay�� Tsuzuki said puzzled. He wondered what this could be about.

�What?!� he asked in shock in Konoe�s office.

�I�m taking you off the Eda-Kimoto case,� Konoe repeated.

�But why?!� the older shinigami yelped.

�You�re too involved with the case,� his boss reasoned.

�It�s because I�m married to Anna, isn�t it?� Tsuzuki asked. �I will send those people to be judged!

�That�s the problem,� Konoe pointed out. �You�re making this too personal.�

�But chief, I promised�� Tsuzuki began.

�I�m sorry,� Konoe cut in. �The heads above requested this case go to sector five.�

�But what about Anna-chan?� the older shinigami asked.

�She�s still under your care for the time being,� the boss replied. Tsuzuki�s mood dropped off defeated. He couldn�t defy orders from the top and he still had the Mother to deal with. Getting Anna back was more important than the case itself. The shinigami dropped his head.

�Alright,� he grumbled.

�Good,� Konoe said.�You will turn over any and all notes pertaining to the case immediately.�

�Yes sir,� Tsuzuki complained. This day possibly couldn�t go further downhill. Or maybe�

Tsuzuki walked back to his office as something caught his ear. The shinigami crept over to see the Gushoshin twins talking to each other up ahead.

�How�s surveillance going?� the younger one asked in a hushed tone.

�He still hasn�t moved,� his brother replied. The younger brother looked shocked with big eyes.

�You�re kidding!� he gasped. �Forty-three years and nothing happened?�

�No, he�s just there,� Older Gushoshin replied, �But somehow I get the feeling he�s waiting for someone.�

�You mean�?� his brother asked. The older twin gave him a stern nod.

�Has it already been four years?� the younger twin asked.

�I believe so,� his brother replied. It didn�t take Tsuzuki long to put the pieces together. His eyes widened when it clicked.

�Hey!� he shouted. �Who are you talking about?� Both Gushoshin stared at him as they went quiet. They didn�t need to say it.

�It�s Akio, isn�t it?� he asked. �You�re been watching him. Where is he? Where is he?� Neither bird-creature wanted to answer him. This was classified information. One little slip could compromise everything. However, Tsuzuki pulled his innocent puppy look on them. Try as they might, resistance became futile. Younger Gushoshin dropped his head.

�We can�t tell you,� he muttered.

�Why not?� he asked.

�It�s surveillance!� younger twin yelped. His brother�s nudge came too late. Tsuzuki gave the twins a puzzled look.

�Surveillance for what?� he asked.

�We can�t tell you that,� the older twin argued. By this time, others in the hallway stared at them. The Gushoshin twins tried to wrap it up. The older twin leaned in close to the shinigami�s ear.

�It�s classified,� he whispered. �It would be in your best interest to back out now.� Tsuzuki turned to ask why when he noticed that the twins were gone. His curiosity only grew stronger from that statement. His mind began to process what to do next.