May 9th, Monday
The Whiskey trio was finally working together again after a long time. Their mission location was rather special, a membership-only bar. Tonight, an arms dealer named Ryusuke Kurokawa would be hosting a celebration party there.
With a flamboyant dark red buzz cut and a terrifying fifteen-centimeter scar across his face, Kurokawa looked every bit the hardened criminal. The scar came from when he was still a subordinate, taking a knife for his boss. Later, Kurokawa personally killed his boss when he rose to power.
"Ryusuke Kurokawa, 34 years old. Former member of the Mura Group. Now he's established his own Kurokawa Group, specializing in collecting protection fees and dealing arms. He disrupted part of the organization's weapons market, costing us a batch of business. That's why he's being targeted."
Listening to the intel gathered by Rei, Ritsu carefully wiped down the expensive-looking handcrafted wooden violin in his hands.
Back in middle school, he had developed an interest in instruments and taught himself the violin. With his absolute pitch, he became quite skilled in a short time. If he had taken certification exams, he could've easily passed the highest level.
Back then, Hiro and Rei had even exaggeratedly called him a violin prodigy.
"Got a solid plan?" Akai asked.
"I think we can exploit Kurokawa's peanut allergy," Rei said, pulling a small pillbox from his pocket. Inside were several capsules. "These are newly developed by the organization. They dissolve instantly upon contact with liquid. I've filled them with peanut powder. Once we slip it into his cocktail, he won't notice."
"Isn't that overcomplicating things? Peanut allergies aren't always fatal. Why not just use something like cyanide?" Akai questioned.
Most peanut allergies only caused rashes. In more severe cases, breathing difficulties but if noticed in time, medical treatment could save him. It wasn't a guaranteed kill.
Ritsu placed the violin carefully back into its case and said, "To get close to him, we'll have to interact with people in the private room. If they remember our faces, it'll complicate future operations. The bartender serving the drink would naturally become the prime suspect. So Bourbon's plan is to use the allergy as a pretext to get him into a car quickly, you're planning to rig something inside the car, right?"
Rei nodded. "Exactly. I'll install a poisoned needle in the back seat. Once someone helps him into the car, it'll pierce his skin and kill him within five minutes. That way, suspicion won't fall on us but on Kurokawa's own men."
Akai raised an eyebrow. Not a bad strategy. It could even cause internal collapse within the Kurokawa Group. For gangs like this, paranoia was their biggest weakness.
Once doubt took root, mutual distrust would follow. Eliminating them afterward would be easy, even causing them to disband on their own.
"What role are you taking?" Ritsu asked, looking at Rye.
"I've worked part-time playing accordion before. I'm a bit rusty but it'll do for a bar performance."
Rei, who only knew how to play bass, shot them a half-lidded glare. Well, that was awkward. His skillset didn't match either role. Looks like he'd be the bartender.
With the plan set, they began preparing, starting with their outfits.
Standing before his wardrobe, Ritsu realized most of his clothes were dark-toned. When had everything become so dull? He picked out a white shirt and a black suit, adding a black bow tie for a more formal look.
That bow tie had actually been a Christmas gift from Vodka last year. In return, Ritsu had spent two hours bidding online just to win a signed poster of Kaoru Kusano. Looking back, it wasn't worth it, the limited-edition poster had cost 80,000 yen, far more than his cheap bow tie.
Fully dressed, Ritsu stepped out of his bedroom, only to see Akai dressed even more flamboyantly. A black suit paired with a dark green shirt, no tie, and the top two buttons undone, revealing his collarbone and even a hint of his chest muscles.
Before Ritsu could comment, Rei, already in a bartender's uniform, narrowed his eyes and sneered, "Rye, anyone would think you're heading to work in Kabukicho. Don't tell me you've been secretly taking side jobs behind the organization's back."
"…"
For once, Akai didn't respond to Rei's jab. With a serious expression, he said, "Time to move. No issues with our identities, right?"
Ritsu answered, "No problem. The bar manager is one of ours. Getting three people in is easy."
The organization really did have people everywhere, made missions a lot more convenient.
BlueDo27 Bar was located at 6-24, Beika Town. The entire street was lined with bars but this one was the only membership-based establishment, ordinary people couldn't get in without a membership card.
Most patrons were involved in shady dealings and it wasn't uncommon to see people indulging in certain substances inside.
With help from their insider, the trio successfully infiltrated the bar and began their respective roles.
Instead of heading straight to the stage to perform, Ritsu went to the back entrance leading to the parking lot. There was a monitoring room there, likely staffed by a single security guard.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Who is it?" An impatient voice came from inside.
Lowering his voice, Ritsu replied, "Hirata-san, you've got a delivery. Please come out and sign for it."
The guard, confused, opened the door. "When did I order any—mmph!"
Ritsu moved instantly, covering the man's mouth with one hand while striking the back of his neck with the other. After knocking him unconscious, he tied him to a chair with rope and stuffed his mouth with his own jacket to prevent him from calling out when he woke up.
After shutting down all the surveillance cameras, Ritsu locked the door and headed to the parking lot. He quickly found the white Lexus LFA, an expensive car.
The lock was more complex than usual but his skills were up to the task. Within minutes, he managed to open the passenger side door.
He had expected Kurokawa to arrive in a sedan, now he only needed to set the poison in the passenger seat. After all, his subordinates wouldn't let someone suffering a severe allergic reaction drive himself to the hospital.
Putting his earpiece back on, Ritsu reported, "My part's done. The rest is up to you."
"Got it. Come back and regroup with Rye. The target hasn't entered the private room yet, he's still on the first floor."
"Understood."
Removing the earpiece and slipping it into his pocket, Ritsu headed back into the bar, making sure to wipe away all fingerprints before leaving.