Tuesday, 22 November, Early Morning

The omnipresent fog had not dissipated even slightly by the time they left for school. If anything, it was even thicker, greatly reducing visibility. Glancing at Naoto, he saw in her eyes the same unease he was feeling. Something was wrong, very wrong.

Ahead of them, two students were chatting in subdued tones. "Man, the weather's been really weird lately. What the heck's up with all this fog?" one said. "It's like it's never gonna leave."

His companion shrugged. "Eh, it's nothing to worry about, that's what some guy on TV said. Then again, I heard it's poisonous, and nobody knows why. Makes me sick just thinking about it." He coughed. "Maybe I'd better stay home for a while."

The first student rolled his eyes. "You're just too lazy to take the finals next week." He shook his head. "Hopeless."

Finals on top of everything else. No way the fog would force a cancellation, either; Souji doubted anything short of an extinction-level event would delay final exams. Yasogami's faculty were obsessive that way.

"I believe we should keep a close eye on Nanako-chan," Naoto said quietly. "If the fog is having a deleterious effect on adults, I shudder to think what she might be experiencing even in the hospital."

Souji suppressed a grimace, though Naoto doubtless saw right through him. "And check the TV world when we have time," he murmured. "The stories I'm hearing sound a little too close for my peace of mind."

Naoto nodded in silent agreement.

Afternoon

School was, surprisingly, normal for the most part. Or perhaps it wasn't so surprising; Souji could think of a few of Yasogami's faculty who were likely immune to the fog. Kashiwagi, for example, barely seemed to even notice it, perhaps because she was more interested in seducing male students.

That last was perhaps a bit unkind, but Souji really couldn't help himself.

And then there was Yamada. "It's seriously too cold right now," he was saying, "especially if you have hip pain. I'd love to stop by an inn with a spa. Luckily, there's one right here in town, with a young and beautiful manager."

I am officially creeped out.

Yamada sighed. "Unfortunately, my family are more interested in a ski trip. Honestly, what's the point of going somewhere so cold? Are they really that desperate for snow?"

Some of us feel a sense of peace during a snowfall, Sensei, and peace is kinda at a premium right now.

"So I said to them, if you really want snow, why not visit the glacier in South America?" His eyebrows lifted slightly. "I see doubt on a lot of faces. Never heard of it, eh? Let's make this a quick pop quiz. Souji-kun!"

Why am I not surprised. Keeping his face carefully neutral, Souji pushed himself upright.

"What's the name of the South American glacier?"

Not exactly difficult. "The Patagonian ice field."

Yamada smiled approvingly. "You really are a smart young fella. Yes, it's a rather special glacier between Argentina and Chile." He chuckled softly. "Of course, I was joking about actually going there. The weather is very harsh, so it isn't exactly a major tourist attraction. I don't think my wife gets it, though; she's been picking up brochures about South America. A little too gullible, thinking seriously about visiting a glacier."

Souji's first thought was to wonder how Naoto would react to such a thing. Probably just roll her eyes; though still awkward in social situations, her knowledge was easily broad-based enough to know better than to consider the Patagonian ice field a viable vacation spot.

It was only then that the full context hit him, and he had to sit down quickly to keep his embarrassment from showing.

After School

Souji had a more immediate mystery than the constant fog. Just after the bell, Yosuke had pulled him aside, asking if they could talk somewhere private. The Junes Boy was clearly uncomfortable, but not alarmed, so Souji was more puzzled than anything else.

Yosuke had specified the hilltop as their meeting place. Not unusual, though the lack of activity there was. The place was all but deserted, with only a couple of people off to one side. Doubtless because of the oddly persistent fog; Rise had mentioned business at Marukyu was slow of late.

When Souji arrived, he found his friend leaning against the fence, looking out at fog-shrouded Inaba. Souji took a seat on a nearby bench, content to wait.

It was nearly ten minutes before Yosuke finally spoke. "So, you're doing pretty well with Naoto-kun."

Innocent enough so far. "We are," Souji said, keeping his tone carefully neutral.

"Still kinda out of nowhere," Yosuke said. "Guess I should've figured, though, after what you said at the Culture Festival."

"Drop it, or I'll tell Teddie what you said about Rise on the Midnight Channel," Souji warned. This was not the time to be reminded of the Culture Festival debacle.

Yosuke gulped. "O-Okay, I didn't mean to get you all riled up," he said, raising his hands. "I just wanted to ask how you pulled it off. Not that I'm trying to get you to be a kiss-and-tell or anything."

Is he asking me for dating advice? "This is about Chie, right?"

"Like always, you see right through me," Yosuke admitted, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "A-Anyway, it's like one minute nothing's happening, and suddenly you two are never seen apart except in class. How the hell did that happen?"

Souji rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "We just turned out to have a lot in common, and it sort of snowballed from there," he said. "Maybe I'm oversimplifying a bit, but the point is, it just came about naturally, a connection we forged without even trying."

"You sound like Teddie at the Summer Festival," Yosuke said absently, then paled at the glare Souji sent his way. "Okay, never mind. You think I can manage something like that with Chie?"

Souji offered a lopsided smile. "Well, I'm pretty sure she likes you. Oh, come on," he added at Yosuke's incredulous look. "You haven't seen the way she gets jealous when you talk to girls? Rise especially, the way you were gushing about her back in the summer."

Yosuke opened his mouth, closed it without speaking. Souji could practically see the gears turning in his friend's head. Insensitive though he could be at times, Yosuke Hanamura was neither stupid nor unobservant, and he clearly saw where Souji was going.

"Okay, so basically, go with the flow, try not to make her too mad?" he said at last.

Souji shrugged. "More or less. Mind, it's not quite the same situation, since Chie's a very different person."

The other snorted lightly. "Yeah, no kidding. Naoto-kun's some kind of super genius. Chie's no dummy, but I somehow doubt the way to her heart is through her brain."

"See? You're learning. Now if only you could apply that to exams." Souji laughed at the dirty look Yosuke sent his way. "Really, though, I think you two connect just as well as Naoto and I do. You're just too stubborn to admit it."

Yosuke snorted again. "Thanks a lot." He shook his head ruefully. "Stubborn, yeah, should've figured that out when we saved Yukiko back in April. 'Course, I can be pretty thickheaded, too."

"Sometimes," Souji allowed. "Anyway, that's pretty much all I've got. Think it'll be enough?"

"Only one way to find out." Yosuke jerked his head in the general direction of the road. "We'd better get out of here before the fog really does make us sick. 'Sides, I bet Naoto-kun's getting impatient." It was his turn to laugh at Souji's expression. "C'mon, man, you two are practically married already."

There was, to Souji's mild annoyance, more than a grain of truth in that. "Touche."

"Souji." Yosuke's voice was suddenly much more serious. "Thanks, partner. I owe you one."

Souji smiled faintly. "That's what friends are for."

Thursday, 24 November, Early Morning

Something was definitely wrong. As far as Souji could recall, fog never lingered this long, at least not anywhere he'd been. Oh, he'd heard stories about London fog, but he strongly suspected they were exaggerated, and even that paled by comparison to what Inaba was no experiencing.

"Man, I can't even see the sky with all this fog. Really crummy weather." It was a first year girl Souji didn't recognize.

Her companion shrugged. "Eh, I'm fine with it. Some people think the fog's poisonous, but I don't really believe that. Just pretend this is how Inaba is supposed to be." The second girl swept her braid back. "Like it's natural."

"If you say so." The first girl sounded skeptical. "More and more students are calling in sick, but I guess it's not that unusual."

Souji and Naoto exchanged uneasy glances. It appeared the issues were even more widespread than they thought.

Afternoon

It was difficult to tell if Mrs. Nakayama was at all affected by the fog. She was so dour even on bright sunny days that it probably didn't make much difference. Souji had even heard rumors of a betting pool, students wagering on when—or if—she would crack a smile.

Case in point. "Maybe I should just go home for the day," Nakayama said with an irritable sigh. "The fog isn't helping; don't you feel drained on days like this?"

Can you tell the difference?

"Bad news is, I can't go home yet," the teacher went on, visibly suppressing a grimace. "That's what it means to be a full-time employee." She appeared to shake herself. "Back to the lecture. Math and civilization evolved simultaneously, allowing us to solve problems. On the other hand, some remain unsolved to this day, 'millennium prize problems,' they're called." She almost smiled. "Back in 2000, seven unsolved problems were announced, with a reward of one million dollars for solving one." Her eyes briefly met Souji's. "Seta-kun."

Here we go, he thought, standing obediently.

"How many millennium prize problems remain unsolved?"

Souji had to take a moment on that one; math still wasn't his strong point. "Six," he finally said.

Nakayama's eyebrows lifted, just slightly. "I'm surprised you knew. Yes, one of them has been solved. I envy whoever it was who solved it; he walked away with a lot of money. The poincare conjecture, it would be. They tried to give him the Fields Medal, something similar to the Nobel Prize, but he declined. I guess geniuses think differently from normal people." Another aggrieved sigh. "Sorry, it's just that my husband is acting weird lately. We're not really fighting, but he keeps going on about the poisonous fog."

Souji almost collapsed into his seat. My brain hurts.

Evening

Despite her boyfriend's insistence that she was a guest, and already did more than enough by helping him stay sane, Naoto made a point of doing her part to keep the house tidy. Part of it was her own innate neatness, a compulsion to keep things as orderly as possible, part was a desire to lighten Souji's burden however she could.

Speak of the devil. "You don't really need to do that," Souji said as he walked in the door.

Naoto closed the cupboard. "Yes, I do," she disagreed. "You have enough weighing your mind without adding accumulated housework. It isn't much, but it does simplify things." She tilted her head. "Is something wrong?"

He shrugged, an odd expression on his face. "Not wrong so much as just strange. Started a couple of days ago. Yosuke suddenly came up and asked for dating advice, if you can believe it."

She could, actually. Souji was, to her knowledge, the only male in their group in a committed relationship, and Yosuke Hanamura wasn't exactly a trusting sort. "While I'm not at my best reading such matters, Yosuke-senpai's patterns are fairly easy to follow. I take it this was about Chie-senpai?"

"Right on the mark, as usual," Souji acknowledged. His lip twitched. "I actually saw it coming months ago; no idea why it took so long."

Naoto sat beside him. "To be fair, Chie-senpai can be very, ah, formidable," she said. "It's not really surprising that Yosuke-senpai would be walking on eggshells with her."

To her surprise, Souji barked a laugh. "You can say that again. First day of school, she kicked him in his weak spot over a broken DVD."

Naoto winced. That did sound like Chie Satonaka, true, though their resident martial artist had mellowed. Some. "It doesn't seem to have damaged their relationship overmuch."

"Yosuke replaced it a couple weeks later." Souji smiled a bit lopsidedly. "Chie's vindictive, but not that vindictive."

Naoto couldn't help a chuckle at that. "True. So, did you have any advice to offer? Ours is a rather different situation, after all."

"A little bit," Souji said. "Come down to it, we just happened. I didn't even realize I'd fallen for you until I blurted it out at Tatsuhime Shrine. It's something that happened naturally, without our really noticing it until we were already there."

That actually made a great deal of sense. "It was the same for me," Naoto agreed. "Until you said it out of the blue, it never occurred to me that we would—or could—have that kind of relationship."

He wrapped one arm around her shoulders. Naoto stiffened for a brief moment, but only out of reflex. She was still getting used to the whole thing. "Exactly," Souji went on. "So I basically told him to take it as it comes, and," again the lopsided smile, "try not to make Chie too mad."

Naoto allowed herself to lean into his side. "I think, Senpai, things may get very interesting in the near future."

Friday, 25 November, Morning

Hand-Puppet Hosoi at least seemed to be in a good mood despite the fog. Come to think of it, Souji couldn't recall ever seeing the man in a particularly dour mood, even in the wake of Kinshiro Morooka's murder. Kondo was probably the only teacher less susceptible to depression.

"The word 'September' means 'the seventh month'," Hosoi was saying. "It originated in the Roman calendar, which began in March." His lip twitched. "And what's with the crazy weather around here lately? It's like a polluted factory exploded."

Okay, so he isn't completely immune.

"Don't even think about calling in sick, though," Hosoi warned, "just to skip your studies. I'll be able to tell if you were really sick. Doubly so for those of you who failed the last exams."

Fair warning, I guess. Not that Souji would ever stoop to such methods. Naoto would likely take exception to it if nothing else.

"The eleventh hour is upon you," Hosoi said, his voice unusually solemn. "The next test will determine if you go on to the next grade."

Don't remind me.

Hosoi's face suddenly lit with a mischievous smile. "Speaking of which, Souji-chan, I have a question for you."

Distantly annoyed by Hosoi's use of the "chan" suffix, Souji obediently stood. Here we go again.

"What does it mean when you're at the eleventh hour?"

He talks about the importance of the upcoming finals and asks me that? "It means it's your last chance."

Hosoi positively beamed. "Wow! You're exactly right, it means it's your last chance. It'll be on the test next week, so remember it!" He gestured with the puppet. "I wish you all luck in moving on to the next grade, so study hard!"

Souji resumed his seat. Oh, I'll study hard all right, he thought, Naoto's face drifting past his mind's eye. Because I finally have a future to strive for.

Saturday, 26 November, Early Morning

More than ever, Souji kept his ears open. With the fog showing no sign of lifting, it was more important than ever that he gauge the mood of the town, and perhaps especially the student body at Yasogami. So it was that when he saw a couple of first-year girls talking by the gate, he slowed his pace.

"Hey, is it just me, or are more and more people getting, I don't know, weird because of this fog?" the first said. "I've even seen people wearing gas masks."

The second grimaced slightly. "Yeah, no kidding. People are getting sick, too, and saying all kinds of strange stuff. The world ending, original sin causing global warming, that kind of thing. It's just nuts."

An audible swallowing sound followed. "Hey, uh, what do you think would happen if you think someone's sick, but don't do anything about it?" She swallowed again. "Yesterday, my dad was. . . ." She trailed off, unwilling or perhaps unable to continue.

Gas masks? That's a new one. And with exams coming up, too.

Morning

"Good morning, everyone! Why the long faces?"

It took every bit of willpower Souji possessed to not clap his hands over his ears. Dunno, maybe it's the crazy fog on top of final exams next week? Just a thought.

Oblivious to the young student's inner snark, Kondo titled his head curiously. "You all tired from studying for next week's test? I hope you aren't forgetting anything." He grinned. "Remember, Christmas is only a month away! Do you have dates yet?"

Beside him, Souji distinctly heard a muted snicker from Chie. The way she subtly elbowed him in the ribs made clear what she was thinking. He had a date for Christmas, all right, and for New Year's and Valentine's Day, too. Which, judging by his classmates' glum looks, put him rather in the minority at Yasogami.

"I've got mine already!" Kondo went on with a laugh. "Tell you what, he's a Christmas question for ya! Get it right, and you'll get a date! Get it wrong, and it'll be a blue Christmas for you! What do you say, Souji?"

Knew that was coming. Covering a smirk at Kondo's antics (there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell Naoto would refuse a Christmas date over a muffed pop quiz), Souji obediently stood.

"Which of the following is considered an incorrect spelling?" Kondo wrote three English words on the blackboard.

Souji barely kept himself from rolling his eyes. "X'mas," he said.

Kondo's grin widened. "You got it! Looks like you'll be decking the halls with a lady this Christmas!"

Ugh, spare me the theatrics.

"Anyway, like he said, the apostrophe isn't necessary for abbreviating 'Christmas'," Kondo said. "Right there in the dictionary. Watch yourselves, though; it's a pretty common misspelling here in Japan!" He chuckled. "Nothing beats eating cake with a loved one at Christmas! I hope you all get a 'taste' of what that's like!"

Souji stifled a groan. That was a double entendre worthy of Teddie, not exactly Souji's kind of humor. Distantly, he wondered how Naoto survived Kondo's classes, awkward as she was. At least he knows better than to pry into a student's private life, unlike certain other teachers I could name.

Monday, 28 November, Early Morning

The bulk of their time after school on Saturday and all day Sunday was spent studying. Now knowing where he wanted to go in life, Souji was more determined than ever to get top marks. It would ensure his acceptance in the college of his choice, and as a bonus would keep him in favor with Naoto's grandfather. That was a meeting he honestly dreaded.

For all that, he was feeling reasonably confident. Naoto hadn't been able to really help him—as she'd said before, second-year subjects were beyond her—but just having her as a sounding board had been more than enough. He had, of course, done what he could to help her in turn.

Certain others, naturally, were not so sanguine. "Yo," a tired voice said from behind them. "Crazy weather, huh?" Yosuke went on. "Either of you ever hear about anything like this?" He should his head before either could reply. "Yeah, I know, finals and all, but that really isn't the point."

"Don't let it get to you," Souji said, stifling his own misgivings.

Yosuke wasn't convinced. "I thought the 'poison fog' stuff was just a rumor, but people really are getting sick. And there are even weirder rumors going around."

"I don't much like it myself," Souji conceded, "but there's nothing we can do about it right now. We need to get through finals first, then we'll have some space to really think."

His friend groaned. "Yeah, you're right as usual. Not gonna make it any easier."

Naoto pursed her lips. "The current environment is disquieting," she murmured. "I suggest we meet up after exams to discuss it in greater detail. Senpai?"

Souji hid a smile. He didn't quite know why, but she seldom used his name in public. "I can free up time on Saturday," he said. "That work for you, Yosuke?"

The other teen shrugged. "Best we're gonna get."

In the back of his mind, Souji suspected his parents would have considered a live-in girlfriend, however temporary, to be a distraction he could not afford during exams. Or at least, until they learned the identity of said girlfriend; Naoto reverted to her workaholic habits for the duration, only even speaking at breakfast and dinner.

Roughly halfway through, Souji found himself thinking longingly of an excursion into the TV world, if only as an escape from writer's cramp. Still, he persevered; being held back a year wouldn't do his plans any good. And, a seeming eternity later, he was through.

Saturday, 3 December, Early Morning

His relief at it being the last day of exams was such that not even the fog could completely dampen Souji's mood. There was a team meeting lined up after school, then he planned to visit his uncle and cousin. After that, he was probably going to fall unconscious; exams had taken a lot out of him.

He still nearly jumped out of his skin when the rest of the team materialized out of the fog. "Whoa!" Chie yelped, taking a quick step back. "Where'd you guys come from!?"

Souji held up a hand. "Easy, Chie, we're not Shadows or anything." He lifted an eyebrow. "Didn't expect to find the whole team here."

"It kinda just happened," Chie said with a shrug. "We ran into each other on the way, so we figured we'd go together." She grimaced. "The fog's so thick, people are forming groups just to keep safe."

"Yeah," Yosuke agreed. "Weather report says it's going to snow soon, but how can we eve tell with all this fog?"

The temperature was right, though. A bone-chilling breeze shifted the fog without actually dissipating it, lending their surroundings an almost dead air. The fact that they were from all appearances the only people on the street made Inaba seem almost like a ghost town.

"No kidding," Rise grumbled. "It's almost like the other side."

Kanji muttered something under his breath, digging his glasses out of a pocket. He slipped them on, and visibly stiffened. "What the!? Guys, quick, put on your glasses!"

With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Souji followed suit, and had to suppress a curse. In an instant, he could clearly see Inaba's all but deserted streets, a stark contrast to the fog still rolling in his peripheral vision. Now they knew for certain, whatever was happening in Inaba, it definitely wasn't natural.

"No way," Yukiko breathed. "It's all clear."

"Yeah, I noticed," Yosuke said. "What the hell is going on?"

Naoto shook her head, as perplexed as anyone. "These glasses are meant to help us see in the other world. They would be of little use in ordinary fog."

"Which means the fog from that world is somehow leaking into ours?" Chie suggested absently.

Souji bit back another curse. It was the only explanation that made any sense at all. In all likelihood not even Teddie knew how, but the fog from the TV world was spreading to theirs. He had no idea what it meant, but it was all but guaranteed to be bad.

"We need to finish up with exams first," he said at last. "Keep your schedules open after school. One way or another, we have to get to the bottom of this."

After School

None of them could recall Junes being so quiet. The food court was all but deserted, with none of the regulars bar their own group. Even more disconcerting was the lack of staff; Souji could see a young woman behind the counter, but that was all.

Chie had spread out a newspaper on their table. "Here's a story about the fog. Um, 'Some specialists are raising concern about possible harmful substances in the fog. There are increasing calls for investigations into the cause of the fog. While the government has begun a preliminary investigation, the cause may prove difficult to pinpoint.' Huh. Is it really that dangerous?"

"The fog is almost certainly leaking out of the TV world," Souji pointed out. "Remember how we felt after our first excursion there?"

Chie winced; evidently she remembered all too well. "Yeah, you got a point there."

"People are so scared of the fog, they don't go outside unless they absolutely have to," Rise said glumly. "Marukyu's barely had any customers in over a week."

Teddie drummed his fingers on the table. "Like Sensei said, I'm pretty sure this is like the fog on the other side. Beyond that," he shrugged helplessly, "I'm clueless."

Naoto leaned forward, a thoughtful frown on her face. "Another item of note, a summary of Namatame's career, including details about the case." She traced a finger down the page. 'The suspect was having an affair with the first victim, who appears to have been killed due to relationship problems. Also, Ms Saki Konishi's body was discovered in April. Police are still looking into a motive for the murder. In July, a local high school student committed a copycat murder, and while he was initially thought to be the culprit in the previous cases as well, suspicion was subsequently thrown on Namatame."

Only because we didn't let it go, Souji couldn't help thinking.

"'Last month, he attempted to abduct a seven-year-old girl, leading to his arrest.'" Naoto sighed. "It appears Namatame remains bedridden, so further interrogation has yet to commence."

Souji shrugged. "Regardless, that part is over. He can't do any more harm from a hospital bed." He frowned suddenly, an ugly thought striking him. "Then again, it's possible he'll walk."

More than one set of eyes turned to him in visible astonishment. Naoto's was not among them; nor, surprisingly, was Rise's. "What he was saying was totally nuts," she murmured. "If he lets slip anything about the TV world, it might get him classified as mentally unstable."

Yukiko nodded grimly. "I've heard it can be difficult to build a case if the police don't have enough hard evidence."

"What do you think, Naoto?" Souji asked. "You're the trained investigator here."

His girlfriend sighed again. "There are many such cases," she said. "It's the eternal conundrum of the criminal investigator."

Though he was able to keep his face still, inwardly Souji was seething at the very thought. To have gone through so much pain, to have risked so much, only to have the culprit get off made his blood boil. Two people are dead because of him, and two more are in the hospital. Where's the justice in that?

"The hell's up with that!?" Kanji demanded. "We know he did it. You can't let some wacko who thinks he's saving people by killing them just get off!"

"You also can't build a case based on what looks like a paranoid fantasy," Souji countered. "That's a recipe for chaos."

Kanji's jaw fell open. "Am I hearin' that right? You sayin' it's fine if he goes free?"

"You think I'm happy about this?" Souji countered, letting a bit of an edge into his voice. "My uncle and cousin are in the hospital because of that bastard. I'm just saying there are bigger issues."

It came out a bit more sharply than he intended, but Kanji's words had struck a particularly raw nerve. There had been times since Namatame's capture that Souji had wondered if he should have just cut the man's head off and had done with it. He always scolded himself immediately afterward; such thoughts only served to bring him down to his opponent's level.

"They'd better not dismiss the whole thing because of some stupid mental issues," Yosuke muttered. "Saki-senpai, no, not just her and that announcer; King Moron is his fault, too. If he hadn't done that, there wouldn't have been any copycat." He gritted his teeth. "And it's his fault Nanako-chan's in the hospital."

Souji shook his head and stood. "All right, enough of the doom and gloom," he said. "I promised Nanako we'd get a new kotatsu when we could. This is as good a time as any."

Yosuke looked up, bitterness forgotten in an instant. "Why didn't you say so before? We just got some in stock for the winter season."

"Perfect timing, then," Souji said. "Let's go."

The housewares section was both somewhat more populated (if only by people stocking up) and considerably warmer. For a little while, at least, Souji was able to forget the bitter chill of the fog outside. Shopping reminded him that he had something to look forward to.

"If we're getting a kotatsu, then we need some oranges to complete the set," Chie said behind him.

I don't think I'll even understand her.

"Cliche? Cliche 'cause it's true," Kanji said, responded to something Souji hadn't caught.

Naoto hummed to herself. "The best complement to a kotatsu would be a heated rug."

Um, that's kinda crazy.

Yosuke appeared to have similar thoughts. "Say what? You'd blow a break the instant you turned on the microwave with that much draw."

Souji covered a smile. Though it was probably a crime to disagree with his girlfriend, he privately agreed with Yosuke. Ignoring the argument brewing, he picked his way through the displays. For all his family background, he'd had no idea there were so many different types of kotatsu.

Yosuke was just shutting down the idea of the girls baking a cake, on the grounds that it would send Nanako back to the hospital, when Souji's phone rang. He frowned at the caller ID and clicked it on. "Adachi-san? Why call at this hour?"

"Listen close, and stay calm," Adachi said. "Nanako-chan's condition suddenly got worse. The doctor wants you to come right away. We'll be waiting." The line went dead before Souji could even think of a reply.

His blood running cold, Souji looked at his friends. "We need to get to the hospital ASAP. Nanako-chan's getting worse."

There were several sharp intakes of breath, and everyone went bone-white. "R-Right, let's go!" Yosuke said with a gulp.

Damn you, Namatame.

Despite the hospital's heating system functioning normally, Nanako's room was as cold as winter in Antarctica. Or at least that was how it felt to Souji, holding his cousin's hand while the doctor and a pair of nurses bustled about in carefully-controlled haste.

"Big . . . bro," Nanako gasped. Her voice was very weak, which frightened Souji even more.

"I'm right here," he said, fighting to maintain his composure. "Your father will be here soon."

He wished he could believe it himself. The heart monitor was growing more unsteady by the minute, and the staff clearly didn't have a clue what was going on. Part of him hated them for it, but the more rational part knew better. It's not their fault; this is something no one could have prepared for.

"Where is Dojima-san!?"

You're right, where is he!? Souji immediately took himself to task. His uncle wasn't exactly in the best shape to move, especially in this chaos.

Not even having the rest of the Investigation Team gathered around helped. Not even Naoto, holding his other hand, for once uncaring of where they were, provided any respite. Nothing could put a dent in the overwhelming helplessness he felt in that moment.

"Big . . . bro." Nanako's voice was barely above a whisper now.

"It's gonna be okay," Souji said, wishing he could make himself believe it.

Nanako was trembling. "Big bro . . . I'm . . . scared. . . ." Her head turned to one side, her eyes slipping closed.

"Nanako!" Souji bent over her, as if he could keep her awake through sheer force of will.

But it was to no avail. Nanako's hand slipped from his, and the heart monitor's been shifted to an all too familiar damning constant tone. The doctor fussed over it for a few seconds more, but soon gave up, shaking his head in clear regret. For a seeming eternity, silence reigned.

Souji bowed his head, tears streaming down his cheeks. Why!? Why did she have to die!? Why did that son of a bitch take her!? She was just a little girl! He wanted to scream at the injustice of it all, but his throat refused to make a sound. He barely even noticed his uncle staggering in, just too late.

Staggering half-blindly into the hall, Souji collapsed on the nearest bench, trembling. Images and sounds flashed through his mind; Nanako, hiding behind her father, dinner with the Dojima family, Nanako's cheerful greeting when Souji came home, Nanako happily singing the Junes jingle.

That bastard! That cold-blooded bastard! His own words, his words and Naoto's, came flooding back. There was a very real possibility Namatame would get off entirely due to mental issues. Souji's blood boiled at the very thought.

He was so consumed with his own grief and rage that at first he didn't notice he had company, until a hand roughly shook him by the shoulder. "Senpai!"

Blinking furiously, Souji looked up. "Rise? What's going on?"

"Dojima-san might be going after Namatame!"

Cold clarity shot through his mind. "Where's Namatame's room?" he asked, pushing himself upright.

"He's in a secure ward; Kanji-kun dragged it out of Adachi-san," Rise said, falling in step with him.

It was all spiraling out of control. Souji wondered what on Earth the police were thinking, keeping the accused killer in the same building as one of his victims. With Dojima out for blood, and if Souji was honest he himself not much better off, it was a recipe for disaster.

Sure enough, Dojima was struggling with a pair of guards at the end of the hall. "Let me through," the detective gasped. "I need to talk to him."

"We can't allow you in there without permission," the senior of the guards said.

A bleak sneer crossed Dojima's face. "Permission?" he repeated. "Who gave that bastard permission to kill my daughter, huh?" His teeth clenched. "To hell with all of you! Why is he still alive when Nanako is dead!?"

"Uncle Ryotaro!" Souji trotted up and took his uncle by the elbow. "Sorry about this," he said to the guards. "It's been . . . it's been a rough night."

The senior guard nodded. "I understand. Could you stay for a moment until we can get an escort?"

Souji glanced back the way he'd come. "His partner's already on the way," he said, a trace of relief working through the despair.

"Dojima-san!" Adachi looked even more agitated than usual. "Quick, get him back to his room! I'll alert the doctors."

Apparently forgotten, Souji watched them go. He wasn't entirely sure why he remained; maybe it was to make sure the guards still had a prisoner when they got back. Or perhaps it was simply because the night's events had left him empty of volition.

"Was he really going to . . .?" Chie's voice broke.

"I think he was," Souji said quietly. "After Aunt Chisato died, Nanako-chan was really all Uncle Ryotaro had left. I think . . . I think it broke him. Possibly beyond repair."

Kanji sighed. "Looked like it, Senpai," he agreed, his voice unusually subdued. "After what happened to Nanako-chan, nothing would've surprised me."

"Dojima-san probably knew," Yosuke said quietly, looking at the floor. "Knew there was a good chance Namatame would get away with an insanity plea." His fists clenched. "Dammit. First Saki-senpai, now Nanako-chan. . .! And now he's just gonna walk away. . . ."

Souji wished his partner would give it a rest, just for a moment. He didn't trust himself, not now, and Yosuke fanning the flames wasn't helping. The grief, and the knowledge that the one responsible for that grief was right behind a door less than a meter away, were sorely testing his self-control.

A loud thud jarred him out of his dark musings. Spinning, Souji instinctively yanked the door open and dashed inside, his friends close behind.

The first thing he saw was Namatame, crouched in front of the open window. It wasn't hard to deduce what had happened; clearly, they had caught the killer in the middle of an escape attempt. One that seemed unlikely so succeed; they were on the third floor, and it was unlikely Namatame would have managed a climb in his current state.

"Trying to escape, are you?" he asked, his voice so icy cold that even Kanji flinched. Suddenly, he wished he had his sword in hand.

Namatame was breathing heavily. "I-I. . . ."

Yosuke wasn't so restrained. "You have your life," he said, his voice crackling with barely-suppressed rage, "and now you want your freedom, too!?"

"It's your fault!" Chie all but shouted. "It's because of you that Nanako-chan. . .!" She choked, unable to continue.

Namatame shook his head. "I . . . I didn't. . . ."

"Save it," Souji cut him off. He started to say more, but was distracted by a light from the heretofore-dormant TV. "What the!?"

Rise caught on first. "Twelve o'clock, is it the Midnight Channel!?"

It certainly looked like it. Standing in what looked very much like the place where they'd fought him was a duplicate of Taro Namatame. Clad in a pale green deliveryman's outfit, this image looked downright manic, where the real Namatame was all but incoherent with fear.

"I failed to save her, because you got in my way," the doppelganger said.

"What the hell!?" Yosuke took a step back. "But the real Namatame is right here, and we beat his Shadow!"

Naoto shook her head, eyes narrowing. "No. Namatame never faced his other self. Nor was there any sign of a Persona either before or after."

The Shadow was grinning. "It wasn't my fault that I failed, and the law can't touch me anyway." It laughed.

"Is this what Namatame is really thinking!?" Chie gasped, horrified. "Then he wasn't deranged at all! That bastard knew exactly what he was doing!"

Yosuke hissed through clenched teeth. "To hell with the law," he said in a low, deadly voice, glaring at Namatame. "I'll never forgive what you did!"

The former secretary was on his knees, clutching his head. "No . . . please . . . stop. . . ."

Kanji snorted derisively. "Stop what? We haven't done anything yet."

"Do whatever you want," the Shadow interrupted, laughing again. "You hate me because that child died, don't you? It doesn't matter to me. Living or dying, I don't care either way." A low, sinister chuckle. "But not you. You wouldn't dare do such a thing, right? I'll continue saving people; it's my mission, after all." With another laugh, the Shadow vanished, the screen going dark.

It was all Souji could do not to put his fist through the TV. That his beloved cousin had died, leaving his uncle broken and alone, all because this human debris thought he was "saving" people, and was all too likely to get away with it. It was an injustice of downright cosmic proportions.

"Mission?" Yukiko repeated, visibly trembling.

Naoto said nothing, but Souji knew well the signs. Her back was rigidly straight, her right hand flexing as if to draw her revolver. Souji really hoped she wasn't armed; that would have all sorts of repercussions, none of them good.

"Please, stop. . . ." Namatame gasped, shaking even harder than Yukiko.

Yosuke's lip curled. "He wants us to stop, eh. What should we do?"

Chie took a half-step back. "W-What do you mean?"

"We can't just let this bastard do whatever he wants," Kanji said. "Make everything we went through a waste of time."

Something in his tone set off alarm bells in Souji's mind, but right now he was too angry to care. "What are you suggesting?"

Naoto crossed behind him, stopping next to the TV. "This must be a luxury sweet. One seldom finds such a large television in a hospital room. With something like this, the prisoner could escape at any time." Her mouth was pressed in a grim line. "Although once he enters, he may find there's no way out."

Souji felt a chill that had nothing to do with the draft from the open window. "You aren't suggesting. . . ."

"You just gonna turn your back and walk away!?" Kanji snapped, glaring at not only Souji but Rise and Yukiko as well.

Rise hung her head. "But, it's not that easy."

This was taking a very disturbing turn. Souji was as angry as any of them, almost mad with grief, and he still couldn't stomach the notion of Namatame going unpunished. Nevertheless, something deep inside him cried out for restraint, for calmness, and it was starting to have an impact.

Chie shook her head violently. "Are you guys insane!? There's no way we can do something like that!"

"Chie, everyone, just listen!" Yosuke looked almost ready to hit something. "If we're going to do this, it has to be now. We won't get another shot. If we do nothing, this bastard's gonna go right back to 'saving' people. You just heard it!" He gestured violently at the TV. "If he gets out, who know how many people will die!" The Junes Boy took a deep breath. "All we have to do is push him in, and it's over. If you don't like it, go ahead and walk away. I won't force you."

It was tempting, very tempting. A quick, clean end to the whole matter. Despite the voice in his mind growing louder, Souji took a step toward the prostrate Namatame. He started to lean down . . . and froze, his eyes meeting the killer's. For a moment, he saw not only Namatame, but himself, and didn't like what he saw.

"Hold on a second," he said, finally starting to feel in control again.

Yosuke stared at him in angry disbelief. "What are you waiting for!? We're running out of time!"

"There's something missing," Souji said, half to himself.

"Yeah, what's that!?" Yosuke snapped, his patience visibly fraying.

Souji stood up. "We still haven't heard Namatame's true feelings."

"The hell!?" Yosuke exploded. "We just heard his real feelings loud and clear! What more do you want!?"

"A Shadow expresses hidden thoughts, but it's not completely reliable," Souji told him. "Remember your Shadow, or maybe especially Naoto's. There's always an element of distortion involved."

"Cut the psychobabble!" Yosuke snarled, glaring daggers now. "Give me one good reason why we shouldn't pitch him in and be done with it!"

It was time to cut this short. "Calm the hell down!" Souji barked, taking a menacing step toward the other teen.

That, finally, had an impact. As if he thrown a switch, the tension flowed out of the room. Yosuke and Kanji suddenly appeared more than a little shamefaced, while Chie, Rise, and Yukiko were all visibly relieved. Naoto, for her part, had moved hastily away from the TV, and now stood at Souji's elbow.

"Souji-senpai is right," she said. "We're all too caught up in the moment. We need to calm down and think rationally about this." She glanced at the man on the floor. "In point of fact, we've heard nothing from Namatame's perspective." Her lips twitched in a brief grimace. "It's true he's responsible for what happened to Nanako-chan, but that is our only hard fact. The rest is mere assumption brought on by what we just saw on the Midnight Channel."

Yosuke still appeared unconvinced. "Yeah, well, he's not saying anything, and we know he's been throwing people in the TV." He ground his teeth. "He put Senpai through that hell; how the hell can we understand someone who thinks killing people is saving them!?"

Naoto shook her head. "There is a difference between failing to understand and failing to listen." She frowned. "In all honesty, not all of the issues that have been nagging me have been resolved. We'll have to see what he can tell us, though it seems unlikely it will happen tonight."

". . .Okay, you've got a point," Yosuke conceded. "Dealing with him now wouldn't clear everything up. But remember this." His glare was directed at Souji and Naoto equally. "I'll do whatever it takes to stop him from doing this again."

Souji felt his tense muscles finally relax. "Fair enough. As long as we're all thinking again."

Yosuke managed a weak chuckle. "Geez, how can you be so calm? Not that I'm complaining."

And with that, the atmosphere lightened. There was still a lingering grief, and always would be, but their minds were clear. They knew what had to be done, and where to start. For now, at least, that was all that really mattered.

The door opened, revealing an agitated Tohru Adachi. "Hey, what are you doing!? You can't be in here!"

"Sorry about that," Souji said, holding up a hand. "Since the guards were busy with my uncle, we thought it might be a good idea to keep an eye on Namatame until they got back." He jerked his head at the open window. "Should probably secure that."

With a nod, he gathered his team in the hall. At that time of night, it was all but deserted; Inaba was small enough that emergency cases weren't all that frequent regardless of the hour. The omnipresent fog for once was a blessing of sorts.

"Okay, so what exactly is it you say we're missing?" Yosuke asked.

Yukiko looked at the floor, frowning thoughtfully. "Actually, there's something that's been bothering me, too. Why did he start killing in the first place?"

On the surface, it was a simple question, but it hit Souji like a hammer. For all the demented rambling they'd heard, Namatame hadn't really provided an actual motive. It was a gigantic hole that none of them had so far been able to fill.

"Didn't he say he was 'saving' people?" Chie said a bit querulously. "He killed his lover to 'save' her, and kept right on going."

All eyes turned to Naoto, the most informed on the Namatame case. "The police did briefly think the murder might have been connected to the affair, so they called Namatame in for questioning," she said slowly. "But no matter how they looked at it, they found nothing suspicious."

"I remember my uncle mentioning that," Souji said, thinking back. "Said Namatame's alibi was airtight."

"You sure it wasn't faked?" Yosuke said. "I mean, maybe he started off with a normal motive, then got a taste for killing."

Naoto shook her head. "Then it would be even more inexplicable. Remember, he was already separated from his wife. He and Misuzu Hiiragi both testified that she had discarded him. She also knew of the affair beforehand, and Namatame was shocked to hear of Yamano's death. There is simply no motive in the affair angle. And, as Senpai said, Namatame's alibi was airtight."

Chie looked ready to hit something in sheer frustration. "Dammit, this is so confusing!"
"Hey." Adachi had stepped out of Namatame's room. "Might want to quiet down; this is a hospital, you know."

Souji opened his mouth to apologize, but a nurse chose that moment to dash up to them. "There you are!" she exclaimed. "Come with me, quickly!"

Dread again congealing in his gut, Souji obediently followed, his friends close behind. Nightmarish images swirled through his mind, Nanako's body vanished, Dojima dead by his own hand, Namatame escaping, all sorts of possibilities, all of them terrifying.

Nothing could have prepared him for the truth.

The nurse led them into Nanako's room, and the first thing Souji noticed was the steady beep of the heart monitor. At first it simply refused to register; it didn't make any sense. Then he finally saw Nanako on the bed, still weak, but visibly breathing.

"Nanako-chan came around!" the doctor said by way of greeting.

Rise inhaled sharply. "W-What did you say!?" she said, hands flying to her throat.

Feeling numb, Souji half-staggered to Nanako's bedside. Sure enough, his beloved "little sister" was breathing, unconscious to be sure, but definitely better than she'd been a mere half hour before. He had to catch himself on the frame, his legs going weak from sheer, incredulous relief. She's alive, Nanako-chan's alive!

"S-So it's real?" Yosuke stammered, his face a shade paler than normal.

The doctor nodded. "It's rare for one to be resuscitated after heart and lung failure, but it has been known to happen. Unfortunately, until we know what caused this in the first place, I can't say how well she'll recover." He smiled. "It looks like Nanako-chan is stronger than we thought."

"She's alive," Souji half-whispered. "That's what's important. Thank you, Doctor." Tears were flowing down his face, but he honestly could not have cared less.

And he wasn't the only one. "Miracles do happen," Naoto half-sobbed. "I'm so glad."

The doctor checked over the monitors, then nodded. "She should be fine for the time being. The rest of you really should head home for the night; after such a trying time, you need the rest as much as she does."

Probably more. This isn't over yet. "Good idea," Souji said, giving his sleeping cousin one last look.

"Hold on a sec," Yosuke interrupted, holding up a hand. "Where's Teddie?"

It was a bucket of, if not cold, at least lukewarm water. With a jolt, Souji realized he hadn't seen their pseudo-ursine companion since Nanako had succumbed. At the least he would have spoken up when they saw Namatame's Shadow on the Midnight Channel.

"Maybe he went home on his own," Chie suggested hesitantly.

Yosuke shook his head at that. "With Nanako-chan near death? I seriously doubt it." He shrugged. "Eh, can't have gotten too far. The doc's right, we really should get going. Dunno about you guys, but I'm dead on my feet."

Souji was already halfway to the door. "Keep an eye out, then. If anyone sees Teddie, give the rest of us a call."

Stepping out into the fog-shrouded streets, he pulled out his cell phone, thinking perhaps someone else had seen Teddie. No such luck, but he couldn't help smiling at what he saw when he thumbed it on. A veritable avalanche of text messages, all expressing sympathy for what Nanako was going through. Kou and Daisuke, Yumi, Naoki Konishi, Ai Ebihara, several other members of the Drama Club, even "Queen Tut" had sent a message of support.

"Souji-kun?"

When did she learn to teleport? "Sorry, kinda lost in the moment." He handed her his phone.

Was he seeing things, or did Naoto have tears in her eyes? "You've certainly made a lot of friends," she murmured, returning the device. "Such an outpouring of support is humbling."

Souji sighed. "Yeah, sure is."

He must have sounded too glum, because Naoto looked up at him in obvious concern. "Senpai?"

"You know me too well." Souji took a deep breath. "I was ready to kill him. Right up until I looked him in the eye, I was wishing I'd beheaded Namatame when I had the chance. The idea that I would even think about that. . . ." He shuddered.

He felt Naoto's hand on his arm. "The specific method was my idea," she reminded him. "I'm hardly guiltless." The hand slid down to clasp Souji's. "And it was your clear thinking that averted disaster."

"I still think you're giving me too much credit." Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, Souji motioned down the deserted street. "I think it's TV dinners and instant coffee tonight. After all that, I am not up to cooking."

Naoto edged closer. "That will suffice," she agreed, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Nanako-chan pulled through, and Dojima-san also appear to be on the mend. For now, that is enough."

Evening?

The setting was hauntingly familiar. The interior of a limousine, upholstered in deep blue velvet. A long-nosed man of indeterminate age, sitting across from him, a small table between them. Off to one side, a white-haired woman who appeared to be in her early twenties. Endless rolling fog visible out the window.

"Welcome," Igor said, smiling in greeting. "It has been quite some time."

"Few months, yeah," Souji acknowledged. "I've been making the best use of your services that I can, but we haven't exactly had time to chat."

Igor nodded. "Please do not be alarmed. You are fast asleep in the real world. I have summoned you here within your dreams."

The corner of Souji's mouth quirked. "I thought as much."

"You are sharp," Igor said approvingly. "Do you think you'll be able to solve this mystery?"

Just a few hours before, Souji would probably have said no. His mind had been too clouded by grief and rage. Worse, he'd been all too prepared to kill someone who was in all likelihood merely a pawn of the true mastermind. He shuddered to think how close he'd come to the brink.

Now, however. . . . "I do," Souji said, his voice quiet but firm. "It's still murky, but I'm sure I'm—we're—on the right path."

Igor positively beamed. "Splendid. The precise destination of this vehicle is also getting rather hard to judge. If we continue driving blindly, we may end up taking you farther away from the mystery you must reach." He clasped his hands. "Why don't we look back on your journey thus far? That is why I have summoned you here tonight." He gestured briefly, a quick wave of the hand.

Voice echoed in Souji's mind, familiar voices. "Really getting it is totally different," he heard in Kou Ichijo's voice. "I mean, really finding yourself."

"I've been trying not to think about it for so long. But now, I think I'm ready to face reality," Naoki Konishi said.

"You're the only one who didn't pay attention to the rumors. You saw me as I am." Souji couldn't help smiling when he heard Ai.

Those voices, and so many more, ending with his friends in the Investigation Team. "We are experiencing the voices engraved in your memories," Igor explained, quite unnecessarily. "And it seems you have comrades traveling with you through this dense fog."

Souji nodded, feeling lighter than he had in some time. "I couldn't have come so far without them."

"Indeed, you sound much better than when we first met," Igor observed. "You are no longer alone."

Images flickered through Souji's mind. Yosuke, laughing as he showed Souji the ropes at Junes. Chie, cheerful and ready to kick the stuffing out of anyone or anything who threatened her friends. Yukiko's quiet yet quirky determination. Teddie, unsure of himself and his place in the world, yet unwilling to give up. Kanji, always ready to lend a hand. Rise, struggling to establish her own identity outside showbiz. Naoto, awkward but determined, close by his side.

"Yeah," Souji murmured, half to himself. "I'm not alone. Not anymore."

The car rumbled to a halt. "We'll remained parked for now, while I confirm our heading," Margaret explained.

Igor leaned forward slightly. "As I told you before, this year will mark a great turning point in your life. Though little time remains, it may be worthwhile to stop for a moment and reflect."

"People are like water flowing down a river," Margaret put in. "Though there is only one stream, all are affected differently. Some travel fast, some change course, experiencing countless events as they travel the river of time."

Igor nodded. "Just so. The state of this room reflects your heart. This may be a time for contemplation rather than action."

It made sense. There wasn't really anything they could do until Namatame had regained some semblance of coherence. Not to mention the unresolved matter of Teddie. Even as he thought it, Souji faintly heard something in the distance, a knocking sound. The Velvet Room faded away. . . .

Sunday, 4 December, Early Morning

Knocking it was, very insistent at that. Souji hurriedly dressed and bounded down the stairs, nearly tripping in his haste. Naoto was just tucking her revolver in her jacket perfectly groomed as always. Distantly, he made a mental note to ask her just how she pulled it off.

They were met by a very agitated Yosuke. "Teddie's missing!" the Junes Boy said without preamble. "I looked all over the neighborhood, but there's no sign of him."

Souji felt like he'd been punched in the gut. Right after the scare with Nanako. . . . "I'm worried," he admitted.

"Yeah, me too," Yosuke said. "He's been acting really weird lately. Weirder than usual, I mean." He grimaced. "Rise and the others are checking the TV world, see if Teddie went back over. You guys ready to come to Junes?"

Souji glanced at Naoto, who nodded. "We'll be right there."

Daytime

On the grounds that they couldn't do anyone any good on an empty stomach, Souji insisted they buy lunch at the Junes food court. He strongly suspected the clerk was grateful for the business; the food court was all but deserted, perhaps two or three customers in an area that could seat a hundred easily.

Kanji and Rise appeared a few minutes later, looking dejected. "No luck," the former said. "Can't find a trace of the fuzzball."

Rise looked at the floor. "I can't sense him in there," she said quietly. "The fog's so dense that it might be affecting my readings." She sighed. "Sorry, I wish I could do better."

"You're doing fine," Souji assured her. "Did you sense anything besides a lack of Teddie?" Rise just shook her head.

He closed his eyes, thinking furiously. Igor's words in that pseudo-dream came back to him, about how it might be a time for contemplation rather than action. Not, he reflected sourly, that they could do much else right then. Nanako may have pulled through, but they were still decidedly short on information.

"Let's see if we can think this through," he said. "We're not exactly spoiled for options at the moment."

Yosuke stared morosely at nothing. "Got a point there. Teddie acts tough, but deep down he's really attached to us. He wouldn't just up and disappear without a good reason."

"I'm worried about him myself, but for now let's just trust him and await his return," Naoto said. "For now, we need to focus on the case. It won't be much longer before Namatame is transferred."

Souji nodded, sitting a bit straighter. "And when that happens, we lose any chance of finding out what he was really thinking."

Yosuke pursed his lips. "I've been thinking about it since last night, but I can't quite make heads or tails out of it."

"Let's review what we do know," Naoto said, ever the professional. "Of all the victims, only two were actually killed, Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi. We know from the documents we found in his truck that Namatame did have a connection to them." She paused to let that sink in. "Afterward, there were a number of attempted murders, in which we were targeted," here she nodded to Yukiko, Kanji, and Rise. "It was only when he targeted Nanako-chan that we were finally able to catch him in the act, and identify his modus operandi."

"A major close call, that," Souji murmured.

"Talk like that, makes it sound like he is guilty," Kanji observed.

Naoto clasped her hands, thinking. "When Namatame was arrested, the police were forced to admit Mitsuo Kubo was a mere copycat killer," she went on.

Yosuke held up a hand. "Back up a sec. Last night you said Namatame didn't have a motive to kill the announcer, right? It's bugging me."

"Yeah, either he's completely bonkers, or we're still missing something," Rise agreed.

After the events of the previous night, Souji doubted Namatame was truly insane. On the edge of a nervous breakdown, almost certainly, but not insane in the usual sense. The look in his eyes had been terrified, but all too clear.

"What does it actually mean when he talks about 'saving' people?" Yosuke wondered. "Pretty obvious it includes kidnapping people and throwing them into the TV."

Naoto frowned. "Could he be speaking of . . . saving them through death? He did refer to himself as a 'savior,' and the other side as a 'wonderful world.'"

"If he thinks like that, bastard should've just 'saved' himself and saved us the trouble," Kanji said with a derisive snort, and glanced at Souji. "What's your take on it, Senpai?"

Souji thought for a moment, then shook his head. "There's something else going on here, I'm sure of it."

"It doesn't really make sense that he'd consider killing 'saving' people," Yukiko interjected. "Remember, when we first encountered him he said we're the ones he 'saved' before, and that he'd save Nanako-chan, too. If he thought killing people meant saving them, wouldn't that mean he failed with us?"

Naoto's eyes sharpened. "You raise an excellent point. If Namatame really thinks salvation comes through death, his words to us make no sense. Moreover, the Namatame who appeared on the Midnight Channel said he failed to save Nanako-chan."

"And at the time we thought Nanako-chan was gone," Souji said, immediately picking up on his girlfriend's thought.

"Then maybe he really did think he was saving people when he threw them in the TV," Chie suggested.

Seemingly obvious, yet it went off like a bomb. If Namatame did indeed honestly believe his actions had saved people, it put a whole new spin on things. And made it even more obvious there was a deeper mystery they had yet to unravel.

For her part, Chie blanched. "H-Hey, don't look at me like that. You know I always say the first dumb thing that pops into my head." She chuckled nervously.

"It's possible he truly did intend to save us. . . ." Naoto said, half to herself.

Yosuke didn't appear convinced. "Hey, he's the one who put Saki-senpai and that announcer in, too, remember!? Sure, we haven't nailed down his motives, but he still killed them!" He looked from Souji to Naoto and back. "Or do you really think someone else is involved?"

Thinking furiously, Souji held up a hand. "The warning letter," he said. "Naoto, did the police ever see them?"

"I believe so," Naoto said, frowning as she thought back, then dug into a pocket. "I do have copies. You recall the text, Senpai?"

Souji nodded. "First one said, 'dont rescue anymore,' no capitalization or punctuation. Second was a more direct threat, that someone close to me would be thrown in and killed."

"Exactly," Naoto said.

Pulling up a chair next to Kanji, Rise tilted her head in evident puzzlement. "That's pretty weird," she said. "If he thought he was saving people, why would he write something like that?"

Kanji's head came up. "And the 'will be put in' part doesn't make sense, either. Wouldn't he say 'I'll put them in'?"

The distinction was subtle, yet all too obvious. "Namatame didn't write the letter at all," Souji said. "It came from someone else, someone who knew exactly what we were doing."

"But only the killer would write such a thing and deliver it to Dojima-san's house," Yukiko said, looking intent. "If someone else wrote it. . . ."

Naoto inhaled sharply. "Since this is such an unusual case, I was certain there was only the one culprit besides the Kubo incident."

"So Namatame really was trying to save his victims?" Rise pressed, her voice noticeably higher than usual, her eyes very wide.

"Indeed," Naoto said. "Everything in this case is the opposite of what it seems at first glance. In Namatame's parlance, a 'failure' would have been the first two cases, where the victims died. If he had used this method twice and failed both times, he would hardly have continued, yet continue he did."

Souji shot to his feet. "Which means someone else has been watching us this whole time," he said, pacing back and forth. "It was Namatame who put most of the victims in, but someone else entirely who killed Yamano-san and Saki-senpai. And I'll bet you anything that someone is the same person who sent those warning letters." He stopped. "We need to speak with Namatame, now. Naoto, you're the one with the direct line to the police; mine," he smiled wryly, "is already in the hospital."

Naoto fished out her cell phone. "I'll make what arrangements I can. You're right, we must hurry."

Despite being a hasty improvisation, Naoto's plan worked like a charm. The first stage was just her and Souji, leaving the others in the hospital lobby to avoid arousing suspicion. Fortunately (and unsurprisingly, given their staffing issues), there was only a singe guard at Namatame's room.

"Hey, this area is off-limits," the guard said when he spotted them.

Naoto held up a hand. "My name is Naoto Shirogane, a consultant with the police. I would like a few words with Namatame. May I go in?"

Frowning, the guard keyed his radio. "Unit 252 requesting ID confirmation. Name of Shirogane. . . . All right." He shrugged. "Well, you're name's on the list. I can give you a few minutes, but you'll have to be recorded for security reasons." He grunted. "Not that you're likely to get anything out of him. He's been spouting nothing but gibberish."

Naoto nodded, then waved at Souji. "I'd like him to be present as well. He has no identification, but is acting in Detective Dojima's stead due to the emergency situation."

"Suit yourself," the guard said, shrugging again. "Beats dealing with the man himself; we've got enough problems with the transfer as it is." He looked like he was going to say more, but his radio crackled again. "This is Unit 252 . . . Say again?"

The moment of truth. Souji held his breath.

"They've found a suspicious object in the lobby," the guard explained after a brief consultation.

Naoto feigned a thoughtful air. "Then it works out nicely. You should assist your colleagues in the lobby; we can handle things here."

The guard grimaced, but nodded agreement. "The way things have been lately, that's probably the best move. Hit the nurse call button if anything happens." He left at a trot.

Souji shook his head. It was too easy, really. With everyone on edge because of the fog and the presence of an accused killer, not to mention Nanako's close call, any additional disturbance would draw security like moths to a flame. All they needed was the right kind of bait.

"I knew they were undermanned, but this still exceeded my expectations," Naoto said quietly.

More footsteps, this time coming closer. The rest of the team (minus the still-missing Teddie) rounded the opposite corner, looking both surprised and relieved that their little ruse had actually worked.

"We'd best move quickly," Naoto said. "That 'suspicious object' has nothing in it of any real note."

Though he still looked haggard, Namatame was awake and alert when they walked in. His head turned at the sound of footsteps, and his eyes widened when he realized who his visitors were. Souji thought he saw a hint of fear in the older man's eyes.

"Namatame-san, there's something we need to ask you," Naoto said. "While it's tempting to think you're the one behind everything that has happened, and a number of people in town hope that is the case, we are simply here to learn the truth. So please, answer our questions as well as you are able."

The former council secretary's face lit up, just a little. Heartened, Souji took a step forward. "Who did you throw in first?"

Namatame seemed to be having trouble finding his voice, but there was clearly nothing wrong with his mind. Hand shaking, he pointed at Yukiko.

"Me!?" the heiress said, startled.

Progress. "Did you kill those two girls?"

Here Namatame shook his head adamantly. "They were killed. I couldn't save them."

That part sounded much like the previous night, but it was still more coherent. Now for the key point. "Is 'saving' people killing them?"

Again a shake of the head. "If no one saves them, they'll die. That's why I put them in there."

Naoto's eyes sharpened. "Then tell me if my supposition is correct so far. After the Yamano and Konishi incidents, you discovered that an appearance on the Midnight Channel meant certain death. Thus, to 'save' her from such a fate, you kidnapped Yukiko Amagi. You threw her into the TV to keep her out of the killer's grasp. And you repeated the process whenever someone appeared on the Midnight Channel." At Namatame's nod, Naoto looked back at Souji. "His body is weak, but his mind is sound. I believe he's trying to tell us the truth."

"I agree," Souji said. "Do you know who killed the first two?"

Namatame closed his eyes and sighed. "No. Believe me, I wish I did."

Just a couple things to clear up. "Why the warning letters?"

Namatame blinked. "What?"

So much for that. "Why did you enter the TV?"

For a moment there was silence. "I didn't know," Namatame said softly. "I had no idea . . . it would be that kind of world." His eyes met Souji's. "You . . . believe me?"

Souji took a deep breath. "Last night, I probably wouldn't have," he admitted. "The girl you took that last time was my cousin, so I wasn't exactly thinking straight. Luckily," he smiled, "she pulled through after all."

Namatame's shoulders slumped in obvious relief. "Thank God," he breathed. "Did they find him!? Did they find the one who did such cruel things?"

"Not yet," Souji said, shaking his head. "That's why we're here. We need to hear your story in order to track down the one truly responsible for this madness. So please, tell us everything you can."

Namatame stared at him for a moment, looked at the others, then slowly nodded. "All right." He took a deep breath. "You know about my affair with Mayumi, I'm sure. When it became common knowledge, I returned to my parents' home, as if I was trying to run away from the scandal. I started drinking heavily, trying to drown my anxieties."

An all too common story. It was amazing Namatame was still alive; that kind of thing often led to suicide, or at the least alcohol poisoning.

"It didn't help that I hadn't been able to reach Mayumi at all," Namatame went on, his eyes distant. "She'd been disgraced on all the afternoon shows, forced to resign. My fault; I wanted to apologize to her, but I couldn't even do that much. In the end, I lost my will to live."

"Then you saw her on the Midnight Channel," Souji said quietly.

Namatame nodded. "I'd heard a rumor about it some time before. Since I had nothing better to do, I sat in front of the TV and stared at my own reflection." He swallowed. "And then it happened. Mayumi appeared on the screen. She looked like she was calling me for help." He shuddered at the memory. "But when I reached out to touch her, not thinking about what I was doing, she disappeared as my arm passed through the TV screen."

"That happened to me once," Souji admitted with a slight smile. "Had a kind of ripple effect, right?"

Appearing heartened that someone else had experienced the same, Namatame again nodded. "Like I'd dipped my arm into a pool of water. I was so shocked I nearly fell in face first." He closed his eyes briefly. "I was so frightened, I thought I'd gone insane. Then. . . ."

"Then Mayumi Yamano's body was found," Souji said.

Namatame moistened his lips. "I was fired the next day, but that wasn't what broke me. As you say, it was Mayumi being found dead. In my hometown no less." A pause for breath. "I was shocked, but then I remembered Mayumi's image on that screen. I couldn't help wondering, was it a dream, or an SOS from Mayumi. Since that night I hadn't touched a TV out of fear, but after that I tried again, and it worked."

"And then you learned of the Midnight Channel," Naoto said.

"Mayumi had been chasing a strange rumor about a TV program," Namatame confirmed. "I'd heard it myself, but dismissed it as an urban legend. But Mayumi appearing on it and then turning up dead changed everything. The more I thought about it, the harder it was to believe there wasn't a connection."

Yosuke nodded, looking considerably more sympathetic than he had the previous night. "Yeah, I know what you mean. When the second victim," he choked, but forged ahead, "was found, I knew it couldn't possibly be a coincidence."

"Especially since we'd already fallen into that world," Souji agreed, wincing at the memory.

Namatame took a deep breath and continued. "Afterward I returned to Inaba to answer the police's questions. I was out of a job, and wanted to learn the truth for myself. Then, one rainy night, someone else appeared, a teenage girl."

"Saki-senpai," Yosuke said, eyes downcast.

"You understand," Namatame said sadly. "She looked like she was calling for help, just like Mayumi. Right then, I thought she would be the next to die." He sipped from a glass of water. "Naturally I'd been following the news about Mayumi's death, so I knew Konishi-san was the one who'd found the body. Terrified that my hunch was correct, I kept a close watch, consumed with the need to rescue her. I tried to warn her once, but of course she wouldn't believe me."

It was all falling into place. "And then you saw a clear image on the Midnight Channel," Souji said.

"Right. I tried to call her, but as I'd feared there was no answer," Namatame said. "I then tried the police, but they wouldn't believe me." His fists clenched. "And as you know, she was found dead the next morning. I couldn't save her." He pounded one hand on the table, very lightly. "No one depended on me, not even my wife. Mayumi was the only one who understood, who accepted me for who I was."

Kanji and Rise both visibly flinched at that. And no wonder; Souji's memory of their reality in the TV world was all too vivid. Kanji in particular had long had difficulty being accepted for who he really was.

"I couldn't forgive myself," Namatame said, oblivious. "Couldn't forgive myself for doing nothing."

"You really did love her," Chie said.

Namatame's expression was bleak. "From the bottom of my heart. My wife made it big in show business before we were married. I was happy for her, supported her as best I could, but it put a strain on our relationship."

Rise winced, just a little. "I can kinda relate."

"I met Mayumi when she was in town interviewing a candidate for the next election," Namatame said. "She was a big name announcer, but her attitude toward work was much the same as mine. We were both from Inaba, so she was easy to talk to. I knew it was wrong, but I just couldn't help getting intimate."

Souji covered a grimace. He felt sorry for Namatame, but that part still rubbed him the wrong way. Well. No sense dwelling on it, and there was no denying Namatame was genuinely sorry.

"After Konishi-san was found dead, another girl appeared on the TV," Namatame said. He nodded at Yukiko. "You. I instantly knew you would be kidnapped and murdered. I just . . . just couldn't let that happen." A flash of pain crossed his face. "In my delusion, I thought your image was saying it was somehow safe on the other side. What a fool I was." He shook his head. "Seeing that image, I began to think it was my mission to save people. There was one hurdle, though: if I explained everything to the victim, they wouldn't understand. I'd tried with Konishi-san, and failed. Taking them away seemed to be my only option. I could let them out again when things calmed down."

Finally, they had an answer. "So since you thought people who appeared on the Midnight Channel would be murdered," Yukiko said, "you kidnapped us to save us."

Chie was less sanguine. "Give me a break! So you never even stopped to think about it!?"

"I thought I was the only one who could do anything," Namatame said, his voice thick with self-loathing. "I called the police, but of course they didn't believe me. I knew the area well, and thanks to the delivery truck that came with my job, I could move freely without arousing suspicion." His breathing grew shallow. "But, you're telling me I wasn't saving them at all?"

Naoto nodded, sadness clear in her eyes. "If someone is in that world when the fog appears on this side, they will die. From Yukiko-san onward, the people you thought you were saving were in fact in mortal danger. It was my friends here who saved us."

Namatame looked down. "I had a feeling. When I went after that girl, and entered the TV myself for the first time I had real doubts."

"You mean Nanako-chan," Souji said, keeping his voice level.

A miserable nod. "The police were after me, but I still wanted to save that poor girl." He shuddered again. "But the other side was completely different from what I had imagined. Such a grotesque, abominable place. I knew the three of you I 'saved' had gone back to your normal lives, so it didn't even occur to me until it was too late. Never knew that it was a one-way door. I thought I was going insane. Likely I really was." He closed his eyes. "You know the rest. The next thing I remember is waking in a hospital bed."

"You really were trying to save people," Naoto said.

"But I was doing the opposite," Namatame said dully. "I was such a fool. I always wanted to enter politics, and be useful to society. Instead, I threw everything away."

Naoto shook her head. "You can hardly be blamed for failing to understand the Midnight Channel and that other world. We owe you an apology as well. Had we acted while blinded by emotion, things would have been far worse."

"Perhaps so," Namatame conceded. "But what I've done is too serious to be so easily brushed aside." He took a deep breath. "Sorry, I'm getting tired."

It was a good time to leave anyway, as the returning guard pointedly reminded them. Souji didn't really care; the answer was just beyond their grasp. He was sure of it.

Before they left, they made a point of stopping by Nanako's room. She was still asleep, of course, but just seeing her alive was reassuring. It reminded them there was still hope, that they could pull it off yet.

"She looks like she's in pain," Yukiko murmured, eyes downcast. "Like she's fighting for her life."

Souji steadied himself on the edge of the bed. "That's why we need to keep fighting," he said. "If she can hold on to life so tightly, we can solve this case once and for all." It sounded almost painfully cliché even to his own ears, but none of the others objected.

"This is where we last saw Teddie, right?" Chie said, looking around the small room. "He was so worried about Nanako-chan, you'd think he'd still be here."

"Flaking out at a time like this," Kanji grumbled. "We still need to catch the real killer."

Souji shook his head. "Everyone has a breaking point," he reminded the delinquent, "and I can easily see this being Teddie's. Like Yosuke said before, he's too attached to us to just disappear for good. My guess is he needs some time alone. Let's be patient, and focus on what we can do here and now."

"The police consider the matter closed," Naoto agreed. "From here on out, we will need to handle the investigation ourselves. I suggest we revisit the deaths of Ms Yamano and Saki-san," here she shot a brief, sorrowful look at Yosuke, "and see if we can turn up any fresh details."

Chie raised a hand. "It's been more than six months. Wouldn't the trail have gone cold by now?"

"I know what you're saying, but we still can't give up," Yosuke said. "We're the only ones who understand what's really going on." He managed a small, sad smile. "And you never know, people might remember things they never really thought about at the time."

Souji nodded. "Tomorrow, we'll split up and canvass the town. For now, everyone get some rest. We all need to be at the top of our game."

The others nodded and began to trickle out. Souji paused halfway to the door, and looked back at his sleeping cousin. Yukiko was right, she did look like she was in distress, but at the same time she appeared to be breathing more easily. Perhaps she was on an upswing.

Naoto squeezed his hand. "Believe in her, Souji-kun," she whispered.

He squeezed back, and made his exit. Stay strong, Nanako-chan. I'll be back soon enough.

Monday, 5 December, Daytime

As luck would have it, Monday was the anniversary of Yasogami's founding, so they had the day off from school. With the case at a critical point, Souji could not have been more grateful; the real killer was still out there, and they needed to solve the mystery of the fog.

Souji and Naoto had a hurried breakfast, then separated to cover more ground. As he walked the nearly-deserted streets, Souji kept an eye out for Teddie. He still believed Teddie would return, but the bear's unexplained absence was still worrisome, especially now.

"The incident last spring?" The middle-aged woman Souji encountered near the gas station frowned. "Did something happen?" Her face cleared. "Oh, that's right. It was a pretty big deal; I'd almost forgotten about it. Must be getting old."

Well, that was helpful. Not.

"Um, what are you talking about?" This from a first-year girl Souji didn't recognize. "Oh, was that last spring? Feels like a lifetime ago."

Strike two.

He then questioned a young man near Yomenaido, but was unable to get anything coherent. All the man would talk about was how the fog was some kind of biological weapon sent by Japan's enemies. When he started rambling on about Junes being a hostile power, Souji gave it up as a lost cause.

As was the next person he saw down the street. Rise was standing with a youngish businessman, looking decidedly frustrated. The man's first words left no doubt as to why. "Risette actually spoke to me!" he gushed. "I asked for her autograph, and what kind of guys she's into!"

Pal, you are really creeping me out.

"Anyway, just what do you want? I'm sure you can see how busy I am."

Suppressing an exasperated sigh, Souji repeated the same question he'd asked twice already.

"Didn't they catch the killer and put a lid on things?" the businessman said, annoyed. "Is that all? Good, now go away. You're interrupting my conversation with Risette."

Giving Rise a brief, commiserating look, Souji went on his way. It was a testament to human stubbornness, he supposed, that anyone would be willing to chat up a celebrity when the town was enveloped in a decidedly abnormal fog. Personally, he thought the guy was more than a little nuts.

When he reached the deserted Tatsuhime Shrine (even the fox was nowhere to be seen), he'd thought of another angle to try. Instead of asking about the murders, checking if anyone unusual had been seen might get better results. It was a small hope, but for the moment it was all he had.

No such luck.

Evening

There was a definite air of frustration when they gathered in Aiya's that evening to discuss their findings. Or rather, their total lack of findings; as near as Souji could tell, memories of the incident that led to Mayumi Yamano's untimely death may as well have been wiped from everyone's minds.

"Damn, I'm beat," Chie said, her head in her hands. "This investigating stuff is a lot harder when you don't have a badge to flash; I walked around all day and got nothing."

"The same for me," Yukiko said. "No talk at all about the murder case, let alone the true culprit."

Rise groaned. "Ditto. I had it even worse; people kept bombarding me with questions. I could never get a word in edgewise." She sighed. "Whoever this bastard is, he must be really good to pull it off in a town like this without being seen."

Yosuke wiped a hand across his forehead. "So, what now?"

Chie's head came up, but she wasn't looking at Yosuke. "One steak bowl, please!"

"That's not what I meant," Yosuke said, then sighed. "Still, guess it makes sense to take a break. I'll have a crab and egg fried rice."

Souji turned back to the counter. "Chicken with rice, please," he said.

It was strange, the lot of them eating together with Teddie absent. Much less in the way of banter, though Souji noticed Yosuke and Chie were sitting closer together than usual. He took comfort in that, something genuinely positive amid the chaos.

"Now that we're all full," Chie said half an hour later, "let's all share what we learned, even if it wasn't much."

Probably fruitless, but it might guide their thoughts in a new direction. Shrugging, Souji joined in the general chatter, such as it was.

"So, to sum up," Chie said, looking glum, "there really was no new information, the end?"

"Pretty much," Souji agreed, glancing out at the darkened street. "Naoto?"

She quickly picked up the thread. "The police had an unusually large number of officers in their initial investigation," she said, leaning forward. "Our knowledge of the other world aside, it would be difficult for us to find something they overlooked, especially after half a year has passed. Indeed, there was never any report of a suspicious person to begin with." She pulled a notebook from an inner pocket. "Ms Yamano had fans where Saki-san did not, but otherwise their situations are the same."

Kanji grunted. "Every time I tried to ask about the case, people ignored me and started ranting about the damn fog."

"That or the Midnight Channel," Rise agreed. "I asked about Teddie, too, but no one's seen him." She sighed. "Where could he have gone, anyway?"

Yosuke tilted his head at their detective. "Anything from you, Naoto-kun? Any new, ah, deductions?"

She shook her head, visibly unhappy. "Without any new data, there isn't really much I can do in that regard." She hissed through clenched teeth. "But there must be someone in town who fits all the criteria. A connection to Saki-san and Ms Yamano. The ability to observe our operations to some extent." She looked at Souji. "And be able to approach Senpai's house without arousing suspicion." She shook her head in frustration. "I need some fresh air before I can think on it further. I'll be outside."

That, Souji decided, was an excellent idea. Helped that no one would question him following his girlfriend out.

It was quite cold out, but the chill actually helped him focus his thoughts. A light snowfall was barely visible in the fog, lending the area at least an appearance of peace, if a fleeting one. There was no traffic that he could hear; most of the residents were undoubtedly shut in at home.

Naoto heard him coming, of course. Without speaking, she edged closer until she was barely touching his side. For a while they stood in companionable silence, watching the snow drift down. Nothing else moved.

"Brr." Yosuke had followed them out. "Damn, it's cold." He smiled wryly. "Maybe it'll clear my head, get my deductive muscles flexing."

Souji nodded, still not speaking. There had to be something they were overlooking, some key point that was right in front of them. As Naoto had said, the killer had to be connected to Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi, had to be able to watch Souji and his friends, and be able to approach the Dojima residence without getting a second look. Someone in Inaba had to fit that profile.

It couldn't be any of the team, he knew. While they all of course knew what was really going on with the TV world, and were common sights at Dojima's home, only Rise had ever met Mayumi Yamano even in passing. Dojima himself was out, in no small part because of Nanako.

However, Souji couldn't help thinking a police connection would explain a lot. Ryotaro Dojima was a well-known local detective, so a police presence at his house would hardly be unusual. Such a person would be positioned to watch Souji and his friends, and would have had access to both Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi.

And there was one person they had encountered who seemed to fit all the criteria. "Tohru Adachi," Souji murmured.

"Huh?" Yosuke looked puzzled. "What about him?"

Naoto, naturally, picked up on Souji's thoughts. "Detective Adachi, a member of Inaba's police force. An interesting approach. It would certainly explain the lack of witness reports, just as no one reported Namatame's truck."

"And we've bumped into him a lot over the last few months," Souji said, growing more suspicious by the moment.

"This is a small town, so pretty much everyone knows him," Yosuke said, a light almost visibly dawning. "And nobody's going to think a detective is suspicious."

Naoto's expression had turned grim. "Moreover, he could use his position to hide or even destroy critical evidence."

"If you think about it that way, I guess it's possible," Yosuke said, looking skeptical again. "But really, this is Adachi we're talking about. The guy can't find his backside with both hands. Are we really on the right track?"

Naoto frowned. "Actually, I'm not sure how to put it, but there's something about him that's been bothering me for some time now. I could be imagining things, but—" she broke off with a sneeze. "Excuse me, I appear to have been out in the cold too long. We should go back inside and discuss it with the others."

Though they'd only been outside a short time, the warmth of Aiya's was something of a relief; Souji suspected the unnatural fog was contributing to the unseasonable cold. Pushing it out of his mind, he took a seat facing the others and explained his theory.

As he expected, the initial reaction was one of disbelief. "Adachi-san?" Yukiko said. She shook her head. "That's impossible. He said he came as an escort for Ms Yamano—"

"He was at your inn when the announcer was staying there?" Naoto interrupted, startled.

Yukiko nodded, evidently unsure where the other girl was headed. "We had media swarming over the grounds," she said, eyes taking on a distant look. "It was then that Adachi-san arrived, saying he'd been assigned to guard Ms Yamano. He told our waitress that fame could be rough."

"Ain't that the truth," Rise muttered.

Naoto's eyes were wide. "Guard her?" she repeated. "He didn't spend the night there?"

Chie rested her chin on her hands. "I wonder if he knew Ms Yamano, then."

"Dunno about that," Kanji said, "but I heard he called out to a girl in my class. Found out just this afternoon." He shrugged. "Figured it was just a cop thing, though, didn't think it had anything to do with the case."

Naoto drummed her fingers on the counter, thinking fast. "Detective Adachi questioned Saki-san, who of course found the announcer's body, on several occasions. I'd heard it was simply because there was so little information, but. . . ."

Souji eyed her uneasily. "Something wrong?"

"It's unusual to question someone with such a strong alibi multiple times," Naoto said, frowning hard.

"You think he had something else on his mind?" Chie asked, her face paling slightly.

Yosuke's expression darkened, just a little. "And that 'something' is what connects him to the first two victims. Y'know, we've been running into him an awful lot, all over town. And every single time, he'd let slip what the police were up to before saying, 'Oops, I've said too much,' and clamming up. Was he trying to throw us off the scent?"

It made sense. Too much sense. "He'd certainly be able to drop the warning letter without a problem," Souji said. "He's Uncle Ryotaro's partner, after all; heck, we've had him over for dinner several times."

"Not to mention he can destroy any evidence that might point to him," Rise agreed, half-rising in anger.

Adachi was looking more suspicious by the minute. Too many factors seemed to line up against the bumbling detective. It was like the detective novels Souji and Naoto both loved, the point where they finally had a suspect, and the trap was beginning to close.

But not quite. "We have to confirm this," Souji said. "It all sounds logical enough, but so far it's just speculation."

"Agreed," Naoto said, fishing out her cell phone. "This is Naoto Shirogane. Something has occurred to me regarding the murder investigation, and I would like to get Detective Adachi's input on it." There was a long pause, and then her eyes suddenly widened. "The transport!? It's right now!? . . .Understood, thank you!" She pocketed the phone and stood. "Detective Adachi is on his way to the hospital to prepare for Namatame's relocation. We need to move, now!"

"Right," Souji said, already heading for the door. "Let's go."

Inaba Municipal Hospital looked busier than it had been when they left mere hours before. Unsurprising, of course, given Namatame's transfer order, but still a bit jarring. Luckily for Souji and his friends, the very person they wanted to see was in the lobby when they arrived.

"Huh?" Adachi said, looking puzzled. "What are you guys all doing here? Oh, do you know where Dojima-san went? They told me he snuck out of his room again."

The nurse he'd been speaking with look exasperated. "I've told him again and again that he needs to stay put, but he just won't listen!" She spun on her heel.

Adachi groaned. "With Namatame finally relocated, I was looking forward to going home."

"So, he's already been moved," Naoto said, nodding slowly. "You seemed to be in a great hurry to get him out of this hospital."

The detective shrugged, smiling awkwardly. "Not like we can keep him here with Dojima-san and Nanako-chan around. You guys said it yourselves just yesterday." He lifted an eyebrow. "What are you doing here, anyway? Nanako-chan's room is in the other wing, and if Dojima-san finds you, he's gonna start pestering you."

As if his words had been a summons, Dojima himself appeared, still in a hospital gown but on his feet, if only barely. "Adachi, where's Namatame? It's been really noisy today for some reason."

Adachi visibly gulped. "W-What are you doing here, Dojima-san!?" He forced himself to calm down. "Namatame's already been relocated; I was looking for you so I could tell you that."

Dojima's eyes narrowed. "You did what!? On whose authorization!? There are still questions I need to ask him!" Ignoring his partner's sudden trembling, he waved a hand irritably. "Those first two murders have been bothering me. No matter what angle we try, his motives are shaky at best, and his alibi is airtight. His testimony let us close a lot of loopholes, but that part's still nagging at me."

Adachi looked exasperated. "Is this more of that 'detective's intuition' you keep telling me about?" He sighed. "They've already moved him, no use getting on my case over it." He turned back to face Souji and the others. "And you kids should head home; you're getting in the way of police business."

His earnestness was, ironically, a red flag. "Since when are you so serious about your work?" Dojima wondered.

"C-Come on, I'm always giving it 110%!" Adachi said, appearing just a bit flustered. "You should get back to work, too; your assignment is to get well as soon as possible."

A weak excuse, and Dojima clearly knew it, but didn't call him on it. "What are you all doing here?" he asked, his voice much less hostile.

"We wanted to confirm something about the case with Adachi-san," Souji said smoothly, and gave Naoto a quick nod.

She stepped forward. "What were the circumstances under which Mayumi Yamano went missing?" she asked.

Adachi blinked. "Dunno, really. It's not like I actually saw her. It was months ago, too, so my memory is pretty hazy."

"I see." Naoto briefly met Souji's eyes; she'd seen the lie, too. "And the matter of Saki Konishi?"

"Why wouldn't I question her?" Adachi said, seeming confused. "She found the announcer's body. She didn't know much, though, so we only talked to her a couple of times."

Not as blatant a lie, but still suspicious. "What about the warning letter?" At Adachi's blank look, Souji persisted, "The one that was delivered to my uncle's house. We handed in it plus a second message after Nanako-chan was abducted."

Adachi scratched the back of his head. "Oh, that. I, ah, I don't really remember."

"You don't remember?" Dojima repeated, glaring at him. "I told you to take it down to the crime lab for processing. Are you saying you just forgot!?"

Beads of sweat appeared at Adachi's hairline. "Ah, s-sorry about that. Your accident was right after, and there was so much going on that it kinda slipped my mind." He swung around again. "Geez, what's with the interrogation, anyway!? Dojima-san, you really need to get back to bed, or you'll never heal. And the rest of you," he glared at them, "need to get going. You have any idea what time it is!? I need to report in anyway." He started to leave, but Yosuke and Kanji blocked his way.

"Just one more thing, please," Naoto said. "We now know for certain Namatame was not responsible for the first two deaths. Someone else killed them." Her voice was level, but icy cold. "Adachi-san, would you have any idea who that might be?"

Adachi was definitely losing his cool now. "Of course not!"

Kanji smiled thinly, an expression with absolutely no humor. "'Cause we think it mighta been you."

"What!?" Adachi sucked in a sharp breath. "You can't be serious! We already know Namatame's the one who put them all in!"

"Put them all in?" Dojima said sharply. "Do you know something about the method behind the murders?" His gaze sharpened. "Are you saying Souji was right all along?"

Well, I did put my arm in a TV right in front of you, Souji couldn't help thinking.

"Now I understand," Naoto said. "To tell the truth, Adachi-san, I've been fixated on something you say when Nanako-chan was abducted. When we found Namatame's diary, I said, 'Even the victims who survived and were never released to the public are written here.' To which you said, 'Wow, then that settles it.' How would that 'settle' anything, Adachi-san? At the time, the police had no idea there were other attempted murders related to the case. You had no reason to say such a thing. After all, people disappearing for a few days is hardly unusual. Yet you raised no objection when I read the list of names. Very odd. What do you say to that, Detective Adachi?"

There was no longer even a pretense of calm. "I don't know! I'm too busy for this!" He took off at a run.

Souji and the others were right behind him; Naoto even had her gun drawn. This was it. The real killer was finally in their grasp. Behind him, he heard his uncle crying out in frustrated rage. "Adachi! Urgh, dammit!

"ADACHI!"

Author's note: Yeah, really long between updates this time. Combination of new game system for Christmas, mild chaos from the COVID-19 pandemic, and certain parts of this chapter fighting me, notably Namatame telling his story. On the plus side, we're finally nearing the end. I'll try to get the next one out a little sooner, other projects allowing. ~D.S.