While the two were putting Shinji into the car, a third person was watching them behind a tree in the park. It was Aiko, who was out for hunting. With their suitcase in hands, she could tell they were investigators. Unfortunately she missed the fight, so she was unaware that it was Shinji.
What seem strange to her was that rather than terminating the ghoul at site, they were taking him away and not in a CCG van. There was certainly something fishy.
After the car had left, she walked to the spot. The signs of the battle were everywhere; broken glasses, craters and blood. And among all that destruction was a half damage mask. She picked it up, and look at the inner side.
"To Shinji Kurosawa" upon seeing those words a sense of worry dawn over her face. She dropped the mask and took a deep breath. From her jeans she pulled out her phone and call someone.
"Come quick, we have a certain someone to rescue" she said in a plain stiff voice.
After some ten minutes, there was a roaring of a bike from the distance. It came from the same direction as the car did a few minutes ago. A huge men his head protected by a black helmet that hid his face stop right in front of Aiko. He took off his helmet. It was Gabi and his vehicle of choice was a dirt bike. When he rode it, it seems like a bear riding on a unicycle. Aiko peered the back and saw that there was no space for a second person.
"Where am I suppose to sit" she inquired.
Gabi passed the helmet to her.
On the highway, the bike race through the crowded road. At high speed it darted from the very side of the cars and trucks, just a few millimetres from colliding. And in that deafeaning sound of horns and curses, there was the ecstatic scream of Aiko.
She sat on Gabi shoulder, her legs crossed around his neck. She clenched her fingers around Gabi's curly short hair. For the helmet, Aiko was now wearing it. The seat plan seemed not the most comfortable, but Aiko was enjoying it.
But the car that had abducted Shinji was not at sight. Soon they were inside a tunnel. Aiko lifted the wind shield, and squeezed her eyes to see as far as she could in the yellow haze of headlights. And she caught the glimpse of the car. At the end of the tunnel there will be a three way. The way they took would seal all of their fates.
Just two kilometres from the end of the tunnel is a three way. One straight way leads to 4th ward. Left turn will lead to 13th ward and right turn will lead to 1st, where the CCG headquarters are. Aiko was anticipating that before the investigator could reach the headquarters, they would intercept them and attack them by an ambush.
Both of them were a few metres away from each other. Aiko asked Gabi to increase the speed. Aiko was ready for the assault. As soon as the distance would decrease, she would jump on to the roof and pierce the driver from above.
But they took the left turn. They missed them and went straight. Gabi pulled the brake with such force that Aiko was about to be displaced from her seat.
'Why are they heading that way, there is no quarters there, and the Cochlea is much further' she thought.
This time she asked Gabi to slow down so that they could follow without getting notice. Rest of the journey was uneventful.
The well paved concrete road gave way to dirt tracts. Their car stopped infront of an abandoned factory. But strangely though it seems so, if all the fused up lights have been replaced and electricity was still being supplied from somewhere. Gabi hid the bike around the bushes to make sure noone steal it.
A grumpy looking well build man approached their car. With a big punch he declared his intention.
"Damn it, don't punch, do you know how much it cost to repair that!" The young investigator shouted.
"Show me the invitation" he asked in a deep grumpy voice, paying no attention to the threats that were directed at him. The older man showed him the message and solemnly he went to open the gates.
Inside the spacious parking area, there were many cars. Some were luxurious.
"Well let's wear our masks" the old man suggested. Hurriedly they pulled out their mask. Both of them were of the smiling emoji. Kind of a cheap and odd mask that was. But it still suffice in hiding one's identity.
They opened the backside and pulled out Shinji. They noticed that his wounds were healing. They were suprise to see that even though a quinque had caused so much damage during the battle, there was no sign of an open wound. Only the blood stains were the evidences of that dire fight. It was only a matter of minutes before Shinji regain consciousness. And they were well aware of it. So hurriedly they took him inside the factory.
Outside, Gabi and Aiko walked toward the guard. Upon seeing them, he to walked forward to confront them.
"Who are you? Show me your invitation..." he demanded.
Gabi and the guard were of the same height, but a punch settled everything. Gabi punch landed on his chin. It was a normal punch, but the mere force of it vibrated his brain out. Unable to keep balance and gradually losing sense, he fell down and laid as a dead body.
With the road cleared they headed inside. They took noticed of the many cars that had been parked. An unsettling feeling descended upon Aiko, but she kept quiet. And Quietly they went inside the factory.
In that pitch darkness Aiko could discern the body of hundreds of people. All of them wore mask. The scent in that large room was filled with ghouls. At the centre was a caged ring over which a light bulb suspended that illuminated the floor underneath.
'The factory certainly have been in used for a while' she thought.
Aiko pulled of her helmet that she had been wearing and passed it to Gabi. He now wore it. That helmet was his sole mask. Aiko pulled out her own mask. In that darkness around the edges, hardly could anyone notice one's face. But still out of fear, everyone wore their mask.
Both of them stood at the farthest row.
"I didn't knew that such business was taking place so close to the CCG headquarters. The fact that they are running without much of a security means that they should have connections with some investigators" she told Gabi, who was watching the ring carefully, as the first player was brought into the cage.
Gabi was about to get into the cage. But Aiko stopped him on his way. She also knew that the person in the cage was Shinji, but for some reason she wished no one to interfere inbetween.
"Welcome ghouls and humans. We will start the first fight of the night. On the right side you have our first participant, named FOX. He is a ghoul from the 3rd ward. He is brought by our humble patreon whose identity he asked to be kept a secret." the announcer declared "And FOX will be fighting our next participant, SUMO, who is a well known fighter in the human world. And with the introduction over, let the match begin."