Chapter Seven: Invitation to the Game:

December 2nd, 2010.

Tsuzuki and Hisoka were examining the room where the last couple died when the former about stepped on something odd. Tsuzuki looked down, eyes raised.

“Hey, Hisoka,” he said. “Come look at this.” His partner turned his attention to the card in his hand.

“A ten of hearts?” he asked. Then, something donned on him. “Wait a sec…” He pulled out his phone and scrolled through the pictures that Tatsumi sent him. Tsuzuki leaned in for a look.

“Six of clubs, nine of diamonds, two of spades, two of hearts, and the joker?” He looked at Hisoka. “Think it’s the same guy?”

“Hm,” Hisoka said. “But why these cards?” The older shinigami was about to speak when his phone rang.

“Excuse me,” he said. Tsuzuki hit the call button. “Hello?”

“Hello, shinigami-san,” a man’s voice hissed on the other line. Tsuzuki’s face drained pale.

“No…” he said.

“What’s the matter? You don’t sound happy to hear from me.”

“Asmodeus?”

“At your service.”

Tsuzuki’s hand trembled. “Did you do this?”

“Ah, I see you found my cards.”

“What the hell are you trying to pull now?!”

“It’s a game.”

“What?”

“I am sending you on a little hunt. Still have my cards?”

“Why?”

“Do you?”

“Yes!”

“Good, good. Now, each card had a hidden mark on them.”

Hisoka stared at Tsuzuki while he was on the phone. “Who are you talking about?”

Tsuzuki waved him as he fought to keep calm. Work on this case made his dates with Anna hard. Now he had to deal with Asmodeus too?

“You paying attention?” Asmodeus asked. Tsuzuki rolled his eyes.

“Yes,” he groaned. “What type of mark is on the cards?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

“What do you mean?”

“Telling you wouldn’t be fun, now would it?”

“Then what am I looking for?”

“You’ll know when you see it.”

Tsuzuki frowned. “You aren’t very helpful, are you?”

“You have to play my game to understand.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Well… no pressure. Just that more people will die if you don’t.”

Tsuzuki gritted his teeth. “You better not try and pull anything!”

“I already have.”

“What?!”

“Now here are the rules. No outside help. That’s cheating. You can’t call them shinigami at Ju-Oh-Cho. Do not draw attention to the guests. For every couple that dies, you get another card. You have six so far, yes?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Find the marking on each card to solve the puzzle. If I win, I get your wife.”

“And if I win?” Tsuzuki asked.

“You’ll have to see,” Asmodeus said.

“And why are you doing this?”

“Play the game and you shall see. Oh and Anna cannot know what’s going. The prize has to be kept in the dark.”

Tsuzuki’s eyes widened. “How did you…?”

“Oh come now, Tsuzuki-san. I am the demon of lust. I can smell your desire from where I’m sitting.”

“Where are you?”

“Play my game to find out.” Asmodeus hung up before Tsuzuki could say a word. The shinigami stared at his phone and curse himself under his breath. During this whole time, Hisoka tried to listen in on the phone conversation.

“What’s the matter?” he asked. Tsuzuki lowered his phone.

“Asmodeus is back,” he said in a low voice. Hisoka covered his mouth as he gasped.

“You can’t be serious,” he said.

“I’m afraid so,” his partner said.

“Let me guess, he’s involved in this somehow?”

Tsuzuki nodded. “He’s forcing us to play some demented game this time.”

“Game?”

“Look at the cards.”

“Huh?” Hisoka looked at the ten of hearts. At that moment, Tsuzuki’s phone buzzed. He shut eyes hoping it wasn’t who he thought he was.

“You going to get that?” Hisoka asked. Tsuzuki pressed his lips together. He reluctantly looked at his phone. Low and behold, Anna sent him a text.

“Are we still on for tonight, baby?”