Hiding out on the rooftop of the Ministry of Welfare, Shinya Kogami was lying on his back in mid slumber when his wristcom alerted.  He was comfortable, far too comfortable to be bothered with an incoming call.  Stretched out on a thick bed of verdant bluegrass, he took a deep breath and reveled in a rare moment of peace and quiet.  Unwilling to allow any interruption to his solitude, he ignored the message.

    After a week of snow and freezing rain, the sun was finally out and shining.  The spring skies were blue, pristine and lucid, with no clouds for as far as the eye could see on the horizon.  Though the wind carried a chill, Kogami was sheltered from it by a low retaining wall that marked the boundaries of the meditation garden.  Except for his fingertips, he was warm and contented.

    Raising his hand toward the sun, he closed his eyes and let the kneading rays breathe life back into his cold fingers. The wristcom pinged again to remind him of the incoming call.  Technically, the reclusive Enforcer was still on the clock—at least for another fifteen minutes.  So with much reluctance, he pressed the button to accept the call.  "Yeah?"

    "Where are you?" Akane asked.

    "The roof."

    "Stay put.  I'll be there in just a sec—"

    "Why?"  Without opening his eyes, Kogami took a deep breath.  "What's this about?"

    "Tying up some loose ends on Special Case 32169."

    "I'll be here," he sighed, disconnecting the call.  The nonchalant tone was a ruse for the truth.  Despite the curt nature of his words, Kogami was anxious to see her.  The referenced case had been a difficult one that kept Division 1 on the job for the last four days.  There had been little time for idle talk or stolen glances while the CID was in full investigation mode.

    Kogami did not have long to wait.  He heard the chime of the elevator's arrival; the soft sound of her footsteps on the granite; and then eventually, the rustle of her shoes moving through the grass.  The fact that it was artificial turf didn't matter.  She was here.  With him.  And they were alone.

    "The meditation garden, huh?  So this is where you hide when Ginoza is looking for you?" 

    "Just working on reducing my stress level, Inspector.  Is that a crime now?"

    "Is that really what you're doing, Mr. Kogami?"

    "No, but it sounded good."  He cocked his head to the side and looked up at her through half-closed eyes.  "I was doing a favor for Shion.  She needed a guinea pig to check the hologram projector."

    "I hadn't realized it was broken."

    "Kagari got a little carried away with the latest Dungeons and Wizards game," Kogami said. 

    "Is that what happened to his face?  He gave that black eye to himself?"

    "Yep.  If you're feeling brave enough, ask him about it the next time you see him.  You might want to have a Dominator handy.  He gets a little testy about it."

    Akane laughed helplessly.  She covered her mouth with her hands to stifle the loudness.  "Some things never change."  Then hands on her hips, she stared down at Kogami.  The setting sun cast a halo glow around her head.  "I didn't figure you for someone who enjoyed holos, Mr. Kogami."

    "I'm not, but Shion wanted me to check out her fireworks display."

    "Fireworks?"

    "That's right.  Used to love them as a kid."

    "And?"

    "She did a nice job.  But it's just not the same.  Doesn't feel like the real thing."  Kogami sat up on his elbows.  "What do you need for the case?"

    "Digital signature.  Inspector Ginoza has decided to close it out."

    Kogami laid back down on the grass and brought the file up on his wristcom.  "Done!  Ginoza can sleep well tonight.  The nefarious paperwork is complete."

    "There's something to be said for efficiency, Mr. Kogami.  Wouldn't you agree?"

    "Maybe."  He heard her turn to leave.  Anxious to keep his loneliness at bay, he sat up.  "Hey?  I was wondering if you could do me a favor?"

    With a look of mischief in her eyes, Akane crossed her arms over her chest and propped her chin up on her hand.  "I do owe you one from the other night."  With a pleasant smile, she asked, "What can I do for you?"

    "I need an escort tonight."  The request sounded brazen, more so than he intended.  "You know Enforcers can't go anywhere unescorted, but I need to be somewhere tonight."

    "What time?"

    "Say 10:00?"

    Akane spun on her heel.  "I'll have a car ready for us in the underground garage.  Don't be late."  She stepped into the elevator and was gone.

    Kogami laid back down in the grass and put his arms behind his head as a pillow.  The wind shifted, and the scent of her perfume came with it.  He sighed, forced to confess, that he missed her already.  Setting the alarm on his wristcom, he grinned and settled down for a well-deserved nap. 

    Kogami pulled the leather backpack against his shoulder as he stepped off the elevator into the shadows of the underground garage.  An official MWPSB car was parked at the curb with the engine running, and Akane was waiting for him in the passenger seat.  He ducked down to peer through the window at her.  "You're early."

    "Only by five minutes," she replied with a wink.  "That's considered late in Inspector Ginoza's book.  Where are we going?"

    Kogami tossed the bag into the back seat and settled in behind the steering wheel.  "Thanks for doing this.  I really appreciate it."

    "How could I possibly say no after you saved my life the other night?"  She stared at him with unflinching persistence.  "But you haven't answered my question, Mr. Kogami.  Where are we going?"

    "To the park." Kogami engaged the manual steering and drove away from MWPSB headquarters.

    "The park?"  Her curiosity was certainly piqued. 

    "The park."  Telling her anything else would ruin his plans for the evening, so Kogami said nothing more. 

    Still expecting some explanation from him, Akane stared at Kogami for a long moment.  In the absence of any answer, she pulled her knees up to her chin and relented with a quiet sigh.  Drumming her fingertips against her legs, she held fast to her inquisitive nature by restraining herself from asking any more questions.  When she was nervous, Akane had a credible gift for making small talk.  It took only a minute or so for her to find a distraction.

    She prattled on about their investigative cases.  By reading too deeply into a minor detail, she could take a simple scenario and grow it into an epic.  Akane was so invested in the retelling of a recent argument with Kagari, over the proper use of wasabi sauce, that she did not notice that they had come to a stop and were parked in a public lot only a few blocks from the Ministry of Welfare.  It wasn't until Kogami opened the car door and the interior lights came on that she stopped talking in midsentence.

    Looking through the windshield, Akane craned her neck from side to side to read the signs posted above the iron-wrought gates.  Just as the headlights of the car faded, she asked, "Kitsune Park?"  Arms crossed over her chest in feigned indignation, she sat back to stare at him with a suspicious smile.  It was her way of teasing him because the rigid gesture reminded the Enforcer of Inspector Ginoza's usual, unapproachable demeanor.

    "Come on, we're late."  Kogami retrieved the leather backpack from the car and slammed the door.  He felt her curious eyes on him and glanced over his shoulder with a nonchalant shrug.  "It took a little longer than I expected to get here." 

    "What are you up to, Mr. Kogami?"  When he didn't answer, she followed him through the park entrance.

    Meandering along a narrow path into the manicured landscape, Kogami was grateful to the shadows, which hid the roguish smile on his face. Illuminated light posts guided him down a cobblestone path that led to a secluded field of grass and a small hill.  A large willow tree sat at the top of the low knoll.  Its sinewy branches swayed gently in the cool, night breeze.

    Akane continued to follow him in uncertain silence.  The back of Kogami's neck burned with her unspoken questions.  "This is the spot," he said.  Without warning, the park lights went out and they were enveloped in complete darkness.

    "Kogami?"

    "Relax, Inspector.  You're safe," he said, trying not to laugh.  "You're with me."

    Frightening her, a sudden blast shook the night air and then erupted in the skies above them.  Akane yelped in fear and jumped into Kogami's waiting arms.  She was trembling in shock, and he momentarily regretted his ploy of secrecy.  With the abrupt explosion, a vibrant splattering of brilliant light and color surged across the darkened skies.

    "Fireworks?"  Her body relaxed against him as she stared up in wonder.  "Mr. Kogami?"

    "Real ones."  Kogami protectively kept his arms around her.  "Not some holo."

    "What's this all about?"

    "How else was I supposed to get you out on a date?"  Amused by the bewildered expression on her face, he put down the backpack and pulled out a heavy wool blanket. 

    Akane watched him spread the thick red and black checkered blanket on the hillside.  "A date, Kogami?"

    Kogami sat down on the blanket and then stretched out with a satisfying sigh.  Gazing up at the fireworks display, he watched the colorful patterns race across the night sky as they competed with the stars for attention.  With each discharge, the air shook with thunder, and the darkness lit up with brilliant swatches of yellow, orange, blue, and red. 

    Without any invitation, Akane laid down beside him.  She covered her legs with the excess fabric to keep warm.  "This was your favor?"

    "Yep."

    Akane raised her hand up to the sky as if to reach out and touch the magnificent splash of colors dancing in the sky above them.  "So this is the real thing?  It's beautiful and terrifying at the same time.  Almost feels as if they were going off in my chest."  When she lowered her arm, her hand brushed against his.

    Not wanting to move away from her touch, Kogami forced himself to remain still.  In time, he surmised, she would be embarrassed and move her own hand away.  He was pleasantly surprised when Akane curled her delicate fingers against his palm and interlaced them between his fingers.

    "You sure about this?" Kogami asked.  "Maybe you just want to kick the tires and take me out for a joyride before you walk away forever."

    Akane gasped in annoyance and elbowed him in the ribs.  "Is that your attempt at romance, Mr. Kogami!"

    "A weak one," he admitted.

    "Question is..." Akane sat up on her side and leaned toward him.  "Are you sure?"

    He squeezed her hand gently and turned his head to meet her curious eyes.  "I've never been more sure of anything, Inspector.  But then—"  He sighed sadly and carefully weighed his words.  "I have everything to gain here.  Everything.  While you stand to lose everything—standing, respect, reputation."

    "Does any of that really matter?"

    "It matters to me."  Regretting the aggression in his voice, Kogami rolled to his side and perched himself on his elbow.   Her hands were cold, and he rubbed what warmth he could into her fingers.  "And it should matter to you, Akane."

    "If this is real, then only you matter."  She brushed his lips with her fingertips.

    Kogami felt his cheeks burn from her tender touch.  He resisted the urge to take her hand and press his lips against every knuckle.  She could have asked for the moon at that moment, and he would have murdered the world to bring it to her.  "It's real.  I'm real."

    "How far is this going to go, Mr. Kogami?"

    "As far as you want to go, Inspector."

    "Are we doing this by the book?"

    "There's a book?" he teased, averting his eyes.  "I definitely need to read it."

    Akane tilted her head to one side and smiled.  "Will I have to initiate every move?"

    "Not every move."  He looked hopefully into her eyes again and prayed that she would not break his heart.  "I know what I want. Just need to know you want it, too." 

    "Alright then."  She traced the outline of his forehead with her fingertips and brushed a stray hair from his cheek.  "Let's watch the fireworks and see what happens."

    In a pensive silence, Kogami drove them back to MWPSB headquarters after the fireworks grand finale.  It was just before midnight when they walked into the building, and Akane took his arm. She was laying claim to him, but they were alone.  There were no pressing investigations, so the CID floor was nearly barren and running on a skeleton crew.  The Division 1 offices were dark with the Enforcers confined to their quarters and Ginoza out of the building for the night. 

    Having grown increasingly uncomfortable with the outside world, Kogami took solace in their return to the building.  This was the world that was familiar to him.  He took comfort in the dim corridors and antiseptic atmosphere because, at least here, he understood the boundaries and the rules.  He could abide by them but with one notable exception—the delineation between the ranks of Inspector and Enforcer.

    There were no regulations against a relationship between an Inspector and an Enforcer.  There was no policy that forbade fraternization in the workplace, so long as it did not interfere with the job or the cycle of investigations.  The stigma was a social one, solely, an unspoken rule that divided the population as neatly as a sharp knife.

    "You know," he said as they stepped off the elevator.  "I really should be walking you home.  If things were different, it would be the other way around."

    "Live in the moment, Mr. Kogami."  Leaning against his arm, Akane rubbed his shoulder and looked up at him with a smile.  "Live for the present."  Then, as if remembering where they were, she took a step back from him.  Hands clasped in front of her, she bowed politely.  "I'm starting to sound a little like you."

    "Is that a bad thing?"

    "Not to me."  She turned to leave.  "Thank you for a fabulous evening of fireworks."

    "You're welcome."

    "See you in the morning?  Bright and early?"

    "Only if there are chocolate pancakes involved."

    Akane laughed out loud, and then, hesitantly, she walked back down the corridor to the elevator.  "Good night, Mr. Kogami." 

    "Good night, Inspector."

    Crushed by the weight of his loneliness, Kogami watched her go until the elevator doors closed, stealing her from his view.  He stood in the corridor, alone and crestfallen, and stared into the shadows.  His chest was tight with sorrow, and a terrible weight settled onto his shoulders.  Solemnly, he turned to his doorway and went inside to the emptiness awaiting him.

    Inside the dormitory, Kogami loosened his tie.  He stared into the shadows along the kitchen counter and succumbed to his feelings of inadequacy. Stupid, he thought to himself. So stupid.

    He wanted her with a passion so potent and all consuming that it frightened him. Akane was not some object to be owned, but he was willing to be an object and be possessed by her, and her alone, if she would have him. Such was the nature of his desire that he could still sense her presence.  The memory of her touch lingered on his shoulders and arms, but the presence was swiftly fading.  Kogami was incensed by its loss, feeling himself fall into a void of despair.

    Leaning against the counter, he stared into a half-empty coffee cup and struggled to breathe. The coffee, leftover from breakfast, was cold, and that was what he needed.  Something to dampen and cool his spirits.  It was time for a very cold shower. Thus, he was in no mood for company when the door sensor chimed.

    Expecting to find Kagari and his insomnia at his doorstep, Kogami sighed heavily and pressed the palms of his hands against his feverish forehead.  Before he could get to the entrance, Akane walked through the door and just stood there looking at him. Tears shimmered in her eyes, and her lips quivered as she spoke his name.  "Kogami?"

Who needs to die? he thought, prepared to fight for her.  "What's wrong?" 

    "Nothing."  Akane quickly crossed the space separating them.  "And everything."  She grabbed his tie and pulled him down to her.  Lips parted, she kissed him passionately.  Her breath was warm against his face, and she panted as if unable to catch her breath.

    A dumbfounded Kogami stared intently into her eyes.  As they parted for air, he saw no uncertainty in her gaze. Cupping her face in his hands, he leaned in for more, fully expecting to be rejected. But his passion was met with zealous enthusiasm as Akane strained at his shirt and pressed herself tightly against his lower torso.

    Kogami ran his hands down along her arms, her waist, and lower spine, and then to the backs of her thighs.  He picked her up in his embrace. Discarding her shoes, Akane nearly leaped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his long torso. Locked in a deep, fervent kiss, he swung her around to the counter and, with one hand, shoved the coffee into the sink.

    Lips parted in desire, Kogami kissed her with an intense passion, sighing in ecstasy at the taste of her in his mouth. This was the moment he had dreamed of for what seemed an eternity.  Still sensing no hesitation in her, he unfastened the clasp of her skirt, loosening it for unhindered exploration.  Akane gasped involuntarily, and he felt her body shudder against him.

    Hands anchored beneath her thighs, Kogami carried her to the bedroom and not so gently laid her down on the bed. She sighed heavily, pulling at his clothes, and whispered her expectations in his ear with a wicked smile.  Goosebumps raced across Kogami's skin, and he was aware that he was sweating. 

    As Akane hung from his lips, her fingers unbuckled his pants.  She helped slip them down across his muscular thighs. Kogami held her up at the waist with one hand, and with the other, helped her to fight free of her jacket.  For a moment, they stared at each other until the irresistible call of desire took him back to her mouth, where he was rewarded with a gasp of rapture.

    Awakening a deeper passion within him, her soft, euphoric moaning drove him on, as her fingers caressed the back of his neck.  Kogami shrugged out of his shirt, and Akane's hands pulled the fabric from his arms.  This left only his tie, which dangled from his neck and down his chest.

    Akane grinned at him and grabbed a hold of it.  She pulled him down on top of her and wrapped her legs about his waist.  Her body shuddered as he planted feather-soft kisses along the graceful curve of her neck and shoulder.  His teasing only made her more aggressive, and she arced her back, pressing her shoulders against the mattress.  Kogami traced the defined profile of her jawline with his lips and taunted her with the warmth of his breath, even as she clawed at his back.

    Akane's wristcom chimed with an alert, signaling a priority message.  "I'm not answering that," she sighed breathlessly.  Pulling him to her lips, Akane embraced the enforcer passionately in her arms.  "Don't stop."

    Moments later, Kogami's wristcom chirped an alert as well.  Trained to heed the call, he stiffened at the tone like a hunting dog freezing at the sound of its master's whistle.  Akane had always been someone that followed the rules and procedures, while he gave no hesitation to stepping out of those bounds.

    "Don't answer it."  She breathed heavily into his ear.

    Kogami was more than happy to comply.  He kissed her deeply, ardently, and rejoiced in the way her body responded to his touch.  Slipping his hands under her squirming hips, he hooked his thumbs in her panties.  Face flushed with excitement and passion, she again arced her back to assist him. 

    "Elevated area stress level warning.  A psycho pass above the regulation value has been detected in the Avenues Business District."  The emotionless announcement went out building-wide and into every office and room within MWPSB headquarters.  "All on-duty Inspectors and Enforcers are required for immediate intervention at the scene.  All off-duty personnel have been recalled to active status.  Priority Blue.  This message will repeat."

    Kogami buried his face in the curve of Akane's shoulder and exhaled his disappointment.  There was no denying the summons, not without consequences.  While he was prepared to take any consequences for his actions and hers, he would not endure any blemish to her record for his sake.  If he was going to protect her reputation, standing, and respect, as he had promised, this cherished moment would have to wait. 

    Holding her tightly in a prolonged embrace, Kogami finally sat back on his knees.  This motion gently pulled her body from beneath him and into an upright, sitting position.  He held her closely, regretting nothing.  With a passionate kiss met by her parted lips, Kogami kissed her again but with less ardor.  He planted his final kiss innocently on her chin. 

    "Kogami."  The fire of rebellion was there on her lips, even as she laid her head in surrender against his bare shoulder.

    "There's only room for one latent criminal in this relationship."  He smiled when her arms tightened around his neck.

    "I know."  Akane looked up at him, her cheeks still flushed and her eyes warm with affection.  "To be continued?"

    Kogami laughed.  "Is that a promise?"

    Falling back into the bed and taking him with her, Akane kissed him passionately one last time.  "Yes."

    Kogami stood behind the line of MWPSB drones at an intersection across from the Maple Avenue Corporation building.  The area was referred to as the Avenues Business district due in part to the four city streets that bordered the industries housed there:  Maple, Elm, Oak, and Walnut Avenues.  Based on the complex, three multi-million dollar corporations called the area home and had singlehandedly skyrocketed the value of the real estate in the community for seven extended blocks.

    Word of an elevated stress value was cause for alarm, but more solid information was necessary as there were rumors of a bomb threat in the main office building of a mental health care magnate:  MentalCore, a subsidiary owned by the Roninn family.  A curious public was kept at bay by the drones and holographic crime scene tape, which prevented them from getting any closer to the area for their own safety. 

    The Division 1 Enforcers had been waiting for over an hour with no word from the Inspectors as to why they were on the scene, the nature of the crime, or what action would be taken to restore order.  Annoyed by the delay, Kogami tapped a cigarette from the pack and lit it.  He tried not to appear as bored as he felt, but his mind lingered in a far sweeter place. 

    Standing tall, the distracted Enforcer stretched his back to relieve the stiffness he felt from standing in one place for so long.  It was difficult to concentrate with Akane's perfume on his skin and the sensation of her hands on his neck and face.  He was grateful when Masaoka joined him.

    "What've we got?"

    "Some kind of hostage situation," Masaoka replied.  "Ginoza isn't saying much, but he looks pretty worked up."

    "Never had much of a poker face, did he?"

    "Not even as a boy."

    "Hey!  MWPSB!  Freeze!" Ginoza's voice rang out from beside the paddy wagon.  Serving as a command station, it was parked near the curb directly across from the main entrance to the building. "Stop that man!  Enforcers!  Kogami!  Masaoka!"

    Kogami saw a figure in dark clothing running from the MentalCore building.  The man was agile, able to dodge a startled Ginoza and a half dozen security drones.  Leaping hedge bushes and retaining walls, the suspect worked his way through the maze of security and out toward the street.  Kogami grinned in anticipation of the hunt.  He threw his cigarette to the ground and immediately gave chase with Masaoka close behind him. 

    Hurdling a ten-foot stone wall, the suspect used one of the drones as a lift to make the height and vanished on the other side.  To avoid losing his prey, Kogami leaped onto a smaller retaining wall that divided the business courtyard from the public sidewalk.  Running along the top with the agility of a jaguar, he was able to avoid the crowded mob of confused drones scuffling for place at the base of the wall. 

    Kogami took a daring leap from the ten-foot wall and landed with too much momentum.  He was directly on the heels of his prey, but having lost his balance in the process, he was forced to take a forward roll to check himself.  This left him two paces behind the suspect with Masaoka some yards behind him. 

    "Ko, if this is a potential bomb threat, he might have on a suicide vest!" Masaoka cautioned.

    "All the more reason to take him down before he kills innocent people."  Undeterred by the possibility of an explosive device on a madman, Kogami increased his pace and closed in on the suspect.

    Winded but keeping pace, Masaoka said, "Get his hands.  Might have a deadman's switch."

    Kogami ran forward with a surge of energy and jumped, rebounding off a nearby storefront.  Launching himself at the suspect, he caught a flash of something metallic in the perp's right hand.  Determined to have it, he reached out to get control of the suspect's hands.  Masaoka simultaneously lunged for the man's legs, tripping him up as Kogami brought him down hard on the asphalt. 

    The tangled trio skidded across the street  in a muddle of arms and legs.  Sharply focused on the danger, Kogami grabbed the fugitive's right wrist and locked it in a jujitsu lock.  The runner yelped in pain and released his hold on the object as Kogami took control of the device.  He moved back as Masaoka rolled the perp onto his chest and bent the other arm back, applying painful leverage to the shoulder and neutralizing the left hand.

    "Got it, Ko?" Masaoka asked.  He brought out a pair of cuffs.

    "What the hell is this?"  Kogami ran his thumb across a myriad of buttons running the width of the device surface.  "A television remote?" 

    Masaoka dropped his knee into the back of the suspect's leg.  "Don't even think about moving."  He peeled back the man's jacket.  "This isn't a suicide vest.  It's a dummy."  Masaoka pulled at the loose wire running to the fake deadman's switch in Kogami's hand. 

    Beneath him, the perpetrator laughed maniacally.  "MentalCore stole my life and my savings.  Left me with nothing.  No options except an isolation cell!" the man screamed.  "And now I get the final say.  I get the final word about their future!"  He laughed loudly until Masaoka punched him in the face and knocked him unconscious. 

    "The bomb must still be in the building.  Ko!"

    Kogami didn't stop to listen.  Dropping the remote device in the street, he sprinted back toward the crime scene.  He tried to send an alert call to Akane's wristcom, but she wasn't answering.  Neither was Ginoza.  "Shit!" he swore.  He realized that the bomber might have set up jamming devices in the area to disrupt any communication signals that might inadvertently set off the bomb.  

    "Clear the area!" Kogami yelled. 

    "What did you find on him?" Ginoza demanded.

    "That man was wearing a dummy suicide vest.  The real bomb is still be in the building."  He slid to a stop and looked around anxiously.  "Where's Inspector Tsunemori?"

    Ginoza's face was grim.  "Headed for the building with Kagari."

    Ignoring Ginoza's cries to stop, Kogami renewed his sprint for the front doors of the main office building.  The Enforcer spotted Kagari's red hair as his younger colleague took point, leading Akane toward the front doors.  "Akane!" Kogami screamed.  "Akane, get back—"

    Akane turned to look over her shoulder at him.  There was a confused, questioning look in her eyes when the bomb went off with a massive explosion that blasted through the glass doors and windows on the main level. 

    Kogami watched helplessly as Akane was thrown forward, stumbling onto her knees, and then sucked back into the front of the building as it collapsed inward on top of itself.  She reached out for him, but at 15 yards, he was too far away to grab onto her. 

    "Akane!" 

    The heat of the blast engulfed him, and Kogami found himself enveloped in a thick, choking smoke that suffocated him.  Even as he tried to shield himself, a powerful shockwave of glass shards, splintered metal, and burning rubble blew horizontally across his face like torrents of rain from a powerful hurricane.  A secondary blast wave expelled even more debris that hurled large chunks of concrete and other dangerous debris through the air.  The last thing he heard was the sound of Akane's voice, screaming his name above the maelstrom.

    "Kogami!"