Without further incident, the MWPSB squad led the group of shell-shocked children to the dayroom.  A heavy concrete girder had fallen across the main doorway, cracking the glass and preventing it from opening.  Kogami busted the bottom section of the door with a kick and let the children crawl inside to the safety of reinforced glass walls.  There was little structural damage evident inside, and Akane quickly went to work setting up an impromptu medical area.

     Checking the children for injuries, the Inspector dismissed the uninjured and prioritized cuts and bleeds above any bruises or swellings.  Once the children were triaged, she quickly tended to their minor wounds with the medical kit and their tears with soft words of encouragement.  Kogami watched her go about the task with a bit of envy. 

    One of the children, Isamu, was giving Akane a particularly difficult time.  "Mr. Kogami, is that blood on your shirt?" she asked.  "Were you injured?"  Her smile and the tone of her voice were pure subterfuge meant to lure him into a play. 

    Isamu sat in front of her, a small cut above his eye.  The boy's quiet sobbing only intensified every time the Inspector got close to him with an antiseptic swab.

    "Yeah, hit my head on a wall right as the quake hit."  Kogami sat down on the bench next to the boy and let Akane examine the wound on his forehead. 

    "That could use a stitch or two," Akane said with a coy wink.  She cleaned the area and pulled a strip of suture tape from the roll.  "But this will have to do."  Gently, she smoothed the tape down against his skin, leaning over Kogami's face to make certain the adhesive stuck.

    Kogami tried to stay focused on being a model patient for the the boy.  It was a difficult task given that he could see down her shirt and caught a brief glimpse of her pink camisole. 

    "There," Akane said.  "That didn't hurt a bit, did it?"

    "Not at all, Inspector."  The Enforcer turned the young boy and saluted him.  "Thanks for letting me slip in line, kid."

    Abruptly, their wristcoms gave out an alert tone.  A holo appeared above the timepieces with the MWPSB logo.  "Hey, we're back online," Akane said.  "The servers are up."

    "Not quite," Kagari shouted from across the room.  "Just testing what Sachi can do with the pillbot."

    "This ought to be good," Kogami mumbled.  He glanced at Isamu.  "You want to be a decent Enforcer some day?"  When the child nodded, he said, "Then listen to the Inspector, and let her fix you up."  He glanced up at Akane.  "Keep your comm open.  I might need your help dashing Kagari's latest hair-brain idea to get himself or me killed."

    Kogami headed to the gaming nook where Kagari had gathered with Gin and Sachi.  Before he could shove his hands in his pocket, he felt a tugging at his pants leg and knew who would be waiting when he looked down.  Without hesitation, he picked up Mi-Yeon in his arms.  She yawned and nestled against his muscular neck.  Exhausted from all the excitement, the child was asleep before he could take two steps.  The stuffed cat was clutched in her hands against his chest.

    "That looks good on you, Ko," Kagari teased.  "A kid might be just what you need to keep your crime coefficient in check.  Maybe Inspector Akane could—"

    "Finish that sentence and I promise it will be your last."  Sachi and even Gin laughed at the guttural threat.   It was pleasant to hear, considering the situation they were in together.  "What have you got?"

    "Any access to the outside world is currently cut off," Sachi said, "and it's not due to a poor connection on our end."

    "Judging from the damage here at the facility," Gin said, "we can only infer that the damage is citywide; therefore, communications are down everywhere that relied on wireless access.  Cross referencing previous earthquakes, I can honestly say that what we experienced was between a 7.0 and an 8.0 event on the Richter scale, massive, particularly for an urban center."

    "Do you have any good news?" Kogami asked sarcastically.

    "No, actually, it gets worse, Mr. Kogami."  Sachi's checks flushed with embarrassment.  "While trying to access the internal servers, I found something that might of interest to the MWPSB."

    "Kagari?"

    Kagari threw up his good hand with a dismissive time.  "Emergency situation, Ko.  The kid was chasing down an important lead, and I wasn't inclined to stop her.  No one pulls you up when you're on the scent.  Hell, anybody who tries gets their jaw broken.  Hear her out before you start lecturing us."

    "Why do I get the feeling I'm going to regret this."  He stepped closer to the jury-rigged network of wires and cables that was their only link to information beyond the facility building. "What is it?"

    "It was no accident when the shelter doors closed and killed Director Ito.  Dr. Torao triggered the doors with his emergency access code, which overrode any safety protocols that would have prevented what happened."

    "He murdered her," Gin said flatly.

    Kogami studied Sachi's face for any sign of deception.  Finding none, he said, "That's a stiff accusation, Sachi."

    "I checked the log five times, Mr. Kogami."

    "And then I checked it," Gin said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.  "There is no mistake.  Dr. Torao purposely closed the door, killing Director Ito and locking us out during the quake.  I think that equates to no less than murder and attempted murder."  Crossing his arms over his chest, he turned to Sachi.  "Tell him the rest."

    "I accidentally tapped into Dr. Torao's research notes while I was trying to find an access code to maybe open the shelter door."

    Kogami tilted his head to the side, unconvinced.  "Accidentally, huh?"

    "Honestly, Mr. Kogami."  Sachi's face went ashen.  "I wouldn't lie to you, sir.  This was nerve-wracking enough, knowing that I was hacking into the hospital terminals.  My psycho pass must be a cloudy mess."

    "Relax."   Kogami felt sorry for pressuring the young girl.  "What did you find that's got you so upset?"

    "This."  She punched a key to bring up the research notes on the monitor.

    As he quickly scanned the information scrolling across the screen, Kogami felt his chest tighten.  "Is this accurate?"

    "The timestamps are genuine," Gin said.  "Dr. Torao hasn't even had the chance to make corrections to his typos."

    Kogami glanced over to Akane's improvised medical station.  She was pouring tea for Isamu and some other children.  Something in his expression brought a look of alarm to her face.  She masked it well as she grabbed a tray of cups and made her way over to him with the kettle.

    "What's wrong?" Akane whispered.

    "Have a read," Kogami said, gesturing toward the screen.

    The young Inspector's eyes darted across the monitor faster than Sachi could scroll through the information. "According to this document, the crime coefficients of every patient in this facility are not only below regulation value, but well below the norm."  She paused to read a bit further.  "So why are you all still here?  The course of treatment is working better than expected."

    "Keep reading," Kagari hissed.

    "The course of treatment is no different than the standard used for adults.  With some variation.  Typical.  But—"  Akane gasped, her hands balling into fists.  "Dr. Torao notes that the medication used here is little more than a placebo.  He's fabricated elevated crime coefficients and falsified medical interaction in order to get authorization for a much larger human trial!  But why?"

    "Greed," Gin said with a scowl.  Shoving his glasses up the bridge of his nose, he answered his own question.  "Because they can.  Look who owns the controlling share of the pharmaceutical company who manufactures this miracle drug."

    "Dr. Junko Torao."  Akane shook her head, incredulous at the evidence of corruption in front of her.  "He's charging the facility a mint for the drug being used on the patients here."

    "And stands to make millions," Kogami added.  "There's a press release due out next week when the drug goes public for its human trials."

    "This information could ruin Dr. Torao's reputation and his company."

    "Not if he buries the data and the rest of his dirty little secrets," Kagari said.  "Sachi managed to put a security worm in place for now.  He doesn't know that she hacked the system, but once the main power is restored, he'll get an alert."

    "He could delete everything," Gin said.  "And no one would be the wiser."

    "Worse, he'll scrub the servers," Sachi added, " or fry them, saying the earthquake did it."

    Kogami swayed side to side rhythmically as Mi-Yeon opened her eyes for a few moments, awakened by their excited voices.  She yawned mightily and curled her face away from them and went back to sleep with a lock of Kogami's hair in her grasp.

    "Without that data, we have nothing," Kagari said angrily.  "Nothing but the word of two Enforcers, a rookie Inspector, and a hacker just out of diapers.  No offense, Sachi." He offered the young girl a strained smile.  "How much time do we have?"

    "The damage in this area is extensive, but the power grid seems to be intact.  Main power could be restored any minute," she replied.  "Or in three days.  There's no way to know for sure."

    "We've got to get to him first!" Kagari stood up, shaking visibly.

    "Is that even possible?"  Akane asked.

    "It's possible to re-enter Dr. Torao's code.  This time to open the doors," Gin said.  "That's not the issue at hand.  The issue is who is going inside to get him?  And how many orderlies does he have with him?"

    "If Inspector Ginoza was dead, I would swear you were his perfect reincarnation."  Kagari glared down at Gin. "Don't be an ass.  You already know who's going in after him."  He grit his teeth until the muscles in his jaw popped audibly under the strain.  "And who gives a damn about how many orderlies are with him?  If we can get our hands on our Dominators, it's game over!  Even if we can't get our hands on our Dominators, it's lights out for this creep!  He is so not getting away with this!"

    "Surely not all of the people who are with Dr. Torao can be latent criminals," Akane said.  "With what he's done here, to these children, I have no doubt that he is."

    "According to the facility records," Kagari said, "he hasn't had an active scan in months.  The Dominator might work on him, but what about the rest?"  He punched the desk angrily, making the console shake.  "If only we had access to our stun batons."

    "Not a problem," Gin said.  "The orderlies keep a stash of them hidden in a maintenance closet."  He met Kogami's disbelieving eyes with a measure of cold spite.  "Don't look so surprised, Mr. Kogami.  This is a mental health facility, and we are patients.  If the powers that be believe one of us is unruly, there are consequences.  From the youngest of us," he glanced at Mi-Yeon asleep on Kogami's shoulder, "to the brightest."  His gaze fell on Sachi.

    Kagari stood shaking for a moment and then went rigid. "Excuse me."  He left them in the gaming nook and ducked under the girder blocking the door.  Leaving the dayroom, the furious Enforcer disappeared in the shadows beyond the adjoining corridor.  There he preceded to take his frustrations out on a concrete slab that had fallen from the floor above them.  The sound of punches and kicks reverberated through the hall, promptly followed by swearing when inadvertently Kagari hit the pillar with his broken wrist.

    "I'll handle this."  Kogami gently laid Mi-Yeon on a couch, covering her with his coat and followed after him.

    Kogami knew better than to get in Kagari's way when the younger man was in a mood.  So he leaned against the wall and watched for a moment before retrieving a cigarette.  Unsure if there might be combustible elements in the area, he thought better of lighting it, and simply savored the taste and the feel of it on his lips. 

    "I won't pretend to understand what you went through when you lived in a place like this, Shusei.  For all the prosperity it claims to bring the Sibyl System brings its fair share of misery."

    "Save it, Ko.  I can take that crap from Masaoka, but not you."  Kagari tried to force his way passed Kogami, but the veteran would not be moved.  The passive stance prompted a ferocious punch, but Kogami caught his hand and held it, struggling to contain Kagari's rage. 

    "The last time we fought didn't end so well for either of us, remember?  We can't afford that, Shusei.  Not here. Not now.  These kids are depending on us.  And I'm not talking about a rescue.  I'm talking about their lives.  If we break this case, they have a real chance to go home.  But not if you lose it on me."  Kogami shoved him back, prepared for another swing.

    Still in the grips of explosive fury, Kagari said, "What do you expect me to do?"

    "What we do best."  Kogami grinned mischievously and slapped his cheek.  "The MWPSB sent their hounds for a career showcase today.  Let's show them what those hounds can do."

    "But the Dominators?"

    "Akane, you there?"

    Her voice sounded as if she had been crying.  It made sense if she overheard his conversation with Kagari.  "I'm here, Mr. Kogami.  What is it?"

    "Have Sachi power up her flight drone.  With the pillbot.  Need them for a little reconnaissance mission."

    "Does this have something to do with my idea to get to the paddy wagon?" Kagari asked.

    "Uh huh," Kogami responded.  He watched as the drone flew out of the corridor beside them and directly up to the opening in the skylight.

    "Standing by, Mr. Kogami," Sachi said over the wristcom. 

    "You were able to restore our personal communication via our wristcoms.  Think you can link us to our vehicle outside?"

    "I don't know why not.  It's the same basic telecom system.  Just have to be careful not to overload the pillbox.  It only has so much memory capacity.  The trouble is range.  I could get maybe six feet above that opening, but then I lose control.  Unless I come out there where you are."

    Kogami hesitated at the notion.  He did not want to risk the girl's safety in the unsettled remains of the atrium.  Then reluctantly, he said, "We'll have to risk it.  Gin, you stay with the other kids and keep everyone calm.  Inspector Tsunemori, do you mind escorting Sachi and her controls to the atrium?"

    "On our way," Akane said.

    "I thought those flight drones had better range," Kagari said.

    "They do."  Sachi joined them in the atrium with Akane at her side.  "But Dr. Torao denied my request for an outdoor flight drone.  It was only because of Director Ito that I got this model for flying indoors."

    "I get it," Kagari said.  "By bringing the controls here, how much will that boost the signal?"

    "Fifty feet without interference.  Here we go."  Sachi carefully guided the drone through the opening and into the world above them.  As it banked slowly over the remains of the front entrance, the drone sent digital pictures back to the controller. 

    Kagari whistled at the devastation.  The landscape was barely recognizable.  "Something tells me that we better start rationing the cookies.  We may be here for a while."

    "Once we get that shelter door open, we'll have all the supplies we need," Kogami said.

    "Damn right!" Kagari slammed his fist into the hand of his broken wrist, wincing in pain.  "Ouch!" One eye squeezed shut in pain, he pointed to the left side of the controller screen.  "Look, there's the paddy wagon."

    The MWPSB van sat at a 45-degree angle in the ruins of the parking lot.  "Nice job, Sachi," Kogami said.  "There's a mobile unit inside that van.  Can you establish a link?"

    The flight drone suddenly dipped down, falling out of the sky, before recovering a bit of height.  Dangling by one leg over the drone's camera, the pillbot struggled to re-establish a secure hold on its only mode of transportation.

    "What just happened?"

    "That's what happens when the signal weakens," Sachi sighed.  "The pillbot is helping boost the range, but it's not enough."

    "Keep going," Kogami ordered.  "Get a link to that utility drone.  I'll get you the signal boost."  Before Akane could protest, he ducked between her legs and lifted her up onto his shoulders.  He braced himself for a protest flurry of fists, but none came.  Just the awkward shifting of her weight as she found herself riding his shoulders and fought balance.

    "A little warning next time, Mr. Kogami!"  She tugged at his ear.  "How's that Sachi?"

    "Better, but we're still pushing the margin for error."

    Akane stretched her wrist upward toward the hole, gaining another two feet.  "And now?"

    "I'm linked!  It's asking for authorization."

    "Kagari, use your access code," Akane said.

    "That drone is never going to fit through that hole," Kagari warned.

    "Don't need it to," Kogami said.  "Sachi, if we can get the mobile drone to the hole, we'll need to flip it on its side somehow."

    "Like drifting a car and wrecking it?" Sachi said with excitement.  "After watching Mr. Kagari drive in Destiny Road, that should be easy."

    "Hey, my driving is pure perfection in that game!"

    "Putting my flight drone on hold."  Sachi worked furiously at the controls.  "Alright," she said, hacking the mobile unit,  "I'm in.  Ready?" 

    "We've got one shot at this," Kagari warned.  "Maybe I should do—"

    "Save it!" Sachi griped.  "You wrecked a perfectly good Supra in the easiest s-curve in the game.  Amateur."  She took control of the mobile drone and gunned it over the ramp lip, freeing it from the trapped van.  It fell to the rubble-strewn ground intact and on all wheels.  In spurts, it worked its way through broken asphalt and rubble, heading in the direction of the hole, their only access to the outside world.  Cutting hard to the left and then redirecting the drone back to the right, Sachi forced the mobile unit to drift.  It careened onto two wheels before it crashed into a debris pile over top of them. 

    What little light they had was reduced by half as the drone came to rest on top of the hole.  Their wristcoms signaled a distress alert from the mobile drone as it struggled to right itself but was unable to do so.  "Nothing says SOS better than a Dominator-filled drone on top of your tomb," Kagari remarked.  "Think that message will get to headquarters?"

    "The drones are connected directly to the Siybl System.  With no way to know why it's calling for help, I'd say we just put ourselves at the top of the priority rescue list."  Akane carefully balanced herself as Kogami took a knee beneath her.

    Kogami bent down to let Akane dismount from his neck and shoulders.  "Might want to lay off the ice cream, Inspector.  It's not showing, but—"

    She punched him in the chest for the remark about her weight and gave him a playful shove.  "Keep in mind, Mr. Kogami, that a Dominator is about to be in my hand."

    "Yes, ma'am."  He held up his hands in feigned surrender.  "I take it back."

    "Okay, Kagari, open the drone."

    As the unit slid open, one Dominator fell into the space beneath and was caught by Kagari.  "Maybe we should have opened the lid before we crashed it."

    "Too risky," Akane said.  "There was no guaranteeing where the drone might have landed or how."

    "One's hardly enough."  Sachi once more took control her flight drone.  "Incoming!" she yelled.  Under her guidance, the drone abruptly gained altitude and then crashed into the MWPSB drone with violent force.  A second Dominator slid from the unit and into the atrium where Kogami caught it and the pillbot that had been separated from the flight drone.  "Well, that didn't work."

    "Better than you think," Kogami told her.  "Two is all we need.  The hounds have teeth now."

    "Are they working?" Akane asked.

    Kagari pointed his Dominator at Kogami.  "Dominator Portable Psychological Diagnosis and Suppression System has been activated.  User authentication:  Enforcer Shusei Kagari.  You are a valid user."

    Kogami pointed the Dominator at Akane.  "Crime coefficient 32.  Target is a registered Inspector.  Warning:  Any rebellious conduct by an Enforcer will be reported to MWPSB headquarters."

    "They're working," Kogami said with a chuckle.

    "For possible crimes against the Citizens' Charter, Dr. Torao is your primary target," Akane said.  "If the Dominators don't work or if anyone gets in your way, take these."  She handed a stun baton to each Enforcer.  "Though we haven't received any official orders, I'm claiming this as a special-circumstance MWPSB investigation.  Dr. Torao is a person of interest.  Bring him in.  By the book, Mr. Kagari."

    "Copy that, Inspector."

    "Sachi," Kogami said, "go back to the dayroom with the Inspector.  On my mark, enter Torao's access code to open the shelter door."

    "Right!"

    Kogami turned and attempted to move into the corridor after Kagari, but he found himself rooted to the spot by an extra twenty pounds anchored to his leg.  Mi-Yeon had slipped out of the dayroom, unseen, and joined them in the atrium.  Trembling, she wrapped her arms about his lower leg and was squeezing him so tightly that her body quivered from the effort. Still wrapped in his jacket, the child looked up at him with tears streaming from her eyes. 

    "What's this?" Kogami said in a stern voice. 

    Her brown eyes swimming with tears, Mi-Yeon reluctantly let go and started to sign frantically.

    "Sachi?"

    Voice overcome with emotion, Sachi translated.  "She's afraid.  Not for herself, but for you."

    With a sigh, Kogami knelt down and wiped away the child's tears.  "Mi-Yeon, this will all be over soon—"

    She vehemently shook her head, clutching the stuffed cat to her chest.  The hood of her pajamas fell down over her curly pigtails.  Tears renewed, she took a deep, stuttering breath and continued signing.

    "She doesn't believe that.  Too many bad things have happened.  You're the only good thing that has happened to her since she can remember.  Since her parents died.   You're like a big brother to her.  She's afraid that if you leave, you won't come back."

    "Dr. Torao is a bad man, Mi-Yeon," Kogami whispered.  "I put bad men like him away, so they can never hurt anyone ever again."  He brushed a hand over her little head and straightened an unruly curl.  "You want me to make him go away, right?"

    Mi-Yeon sadly acknowledged her wish, but another deluge of tears came to her eyes, spilling over her cheeks and trembling lips.  Hesitantly, she offered him his jacket, which he took and quickly threw over his shoulders.

    "Hey, I promise to come right back to you."  Caught by surprise, Kogami gasped when the child held out the stuffed orange cat to him.  "You hold on to Neko, alright?  It won't be safe for him—"

    "Kogami-kun." Her voice was so small and so frail that initially Kogami thought he had imagined her speak.  "Kogami-kun," she whispered again, holding out the cat with insistence.

    "Did Mi-Yeon just talk?" Gin asked over the comm.

    "Mi-Yeon just talked," Sachi replied.  "No wonder there was an earthquake."

    With a lump in his throat, Kogami took the toy cat from her.  He placed it securely in his outer coat pocket, leaving the head to peek over the seam.  Picking Mi-Yeon up, he gave her a close, reassuring squeeze and carried her to Akane.  "You stay with Inspector Tsunemori.  She has a tendency to get herself in trouble during an investigation.  Keep an eye on her for me."

    Mi-Yeon wiped her eyes with the backs of her hand and nodded.

    "Sachi and Gin, your crime coefficients might be within regulation, but for right now, your Inspector Tsunemori's second-line Enforcers.   Keep everyone safe until we get back.  Got that?"

    "Yes, Mr. Kogami!"

    "Kagari?"

    "Right, I'll lead the way."