03x09 - Kozaku Mitori

[bunniefuu]

Area B, what's your status?

Nothing out of the ordinary.

Continue to maintain security.

Good grief, even with all these security robots,

they still call in a private service like us?

What kind of bigshot do they have coming here?

Wh-What happened? A malfunction?

Hey, who are you?! That's my tablet!

If Kihara Gensei is here...

--...he's in the VIP room. From the map...
--What did you just...? Hey!

it looks like cutting through
here would be quickest.

It's a little bit violent,

but I can't let Shokuho get the jump on me.

"A Certain Scientific Railgun T"

She's as barbaric as ever, huh?

Can't she behave with a little more elegance?

Hurry! That came from Area B!

Hold it!

There's someone here, too!

Halt! I don't know how you got in here,

but we're authorized to detain
anybody who doesn't belong here!

Stop or we'll sh**t.

Fine, then. sh**t her.

Hey, what's wrong with you?
Didn't you hear my order?!

You're free to fire.

Wh-Why, you...!

We've been expecting you.

Good work, everyone.

I'll just quickly erase this man's memories.

Okay, the rest of you, take a seat.

Block off any exits that will
let anyone break out of here.

I don't want even a single ant to get out.

Make sure to capture Kihara Gensei.

--Yes, ma'am!
--Yes, ma'am!

Metal that can turn liquid...

Did you find something out?

Hmm, a little while ago,

the stuff was really popular,
and a number of companies developed it,

but it turns out that only two
of those companies are still around.

Yes, but neither of them
have any record of loss or theft.

Of course, we cannot dismiss the
possibility of there being a mole, either.

Miss Shirai, I sent you the
Bank list that I narrowed down.

Okay, I will look at it now.

Huh? They have a shuttered
factory in School District 7.

There she is! I found her!

Her name is Kozaku Mitori.

She is a 3rd-year at Kirigaoka Middle School.

Age 15. Dropped out? Huh?

Non-public information?

What does that mean?

I just cross-referenced Antiskill's database.

She committed attempted terrorism 14 months ago

and was sent to a reform school.

Huh? So then, if she att*cked you,

does that mean that she broke out or something?

If that were the case,
Judgment would have gotten a notice.

Are you positive this is the right person?

She was wearing a hood low over her eyes.
I cannot be absolutely certain.

But the deep-seated darkness in this girl's eyes

makes me think this is the same person.

Then why don't we go to the
Bank Control Center to double-check?

We might be able to find something out.

All right.

Okay then... Oh--

But what do we do about Ms. Misuzu?

I explained the situation to Miss Konori.
I do not think it will be an issue.

Miss Saten, what are you going to do?

Huh?

Saten, only members of Judgment
will be allowed inside the control center.

Oh, you don't say.

Okay then, I guess I'll pass.

I'll find something else to pass the time.

Oh, yeah,

it's still the middle of the Daihasei Festival.

So much has happened,

I almost forgot.

Excuse me!

"Good luck charm"

I'm doing a scavenger hunt!
Does anyone have a good-luck charm?

Nobody has one? Okay...

Here in Academy City,
where science is everything,

I would get stuck with this one, of all things.

Just my luck!!

A good luck charm?

I have the one I got from Mama
when I came to Academy City,

but it is kind of important to me,
so I couldn't just let a stranger take it.

I'm sorry, spiky-haired guy.

Just my luck!!

There you go.

Um, you wouldn't happen to have
a good luck charm, would you?

I'm sorry, but no.

Oh, no, forgive me for asking.

He's still at it.
And we've come quite a way, too.

As late as it is, he has to be in last place.

Oh, but then, if you quit the
scavenger hunt, you get zero points,

so as long as he crosses the finish line,
he'll at least get last place.

--He's still at it, and not giving up.
--Does anyone have a good luck charm?!

--He seems nice enough.
He wouldn't toss it away, or anything.
--Excuse me! Anyone?!

--He seems nice enough.
He wouldn't toss it away, or anything.
--Does anyone have a good luck charm?!

Excuse me!

I have one.

Huh? R-Really? Would you let me borrow it?

Sure. Let's see...

You're a lifesaver!

Whoa, I can't go erasing its luck, can I?

Huh? So um, it may look pretty b*at up,
but it's still important to me.

Hmm? Oh, I understand, of course.
Once I cross the finish line, I'll return it.

But then, I can't just
ask you to wait here until then.

All right, how about we
meet up in one hour over there?

Okay, you got it.

And if we don't see each other,

could you deliver it to Judgement Branch 177?

All right...

...um...

Oh, I'm Saten.

I'm Kamijo Toma. Thanks.
I promise I'll get it back to you!

Bye!

Come to think of it,

that closed-down factory is around here.

"Keep out"

"Shinohara Liquid Material Factory"

Huh? This says that Kozaku Mitori is deceased!

Oh, excuse me...

Is this data accurate?

Yes.

Or at least, it's true that your
person was filed under "deceased."

Two months ago,

at the reform school.
Cause of death was heart failure.

Perhaps I was mistaken about this after all.

But don't you think this is a little strange?

Huh?

According to this timestamp,
her remains would have had to be cremated

right after they were discovered.

Indeed so. There would have
been no time for an autopsy.

Perhaps they didn't do one.

What do you mean by that?

You know, maybe there was
something they wanted hidden,

so they destroyed the evidence
before cause of death could be determined.

For that matter,

maybe your person isn't even dead!

Uh, do you have any grounds
why you would think that?

No, no, no.

But I do love a good conspiracy theory.

You and Miss Saten would get along nicely.

Yeah...

I've heard a rumor, you see,

that once in a while, for whatever reason,

the students who are taken in
by Academy City's reform schools

end up disappearing out of the blue.

The guards report it to their superiors,

but it ends up getting swept under
the rug without much of an investigation.

Even worse, it's always the high-level espers

and outstanding students who vanish.

So the story goes that there's a deal
between Academy City and the inmates,

and that they must be secretly
getting discharged from there.

It's probably more convenient
for them if they're labeled as dead.

Really though, at the end of the day,

"#9 Kozaku Mitori"

rumors are just rumors.

We ended up not really
learning anything for sure.

Even so,

if we suppose that it really was
Kozaku Mitori who abducted you two,

it means that there is someone
with enough influence to fake her death

behind what is going on.

Assuming that's true,

what would she want with Ms. Misuzu and myself?

Considering what the situation was,

Kozaku Mitori's target was likely Misaka Mikoto.

However, I cannot begin
to guess what the objective was.

Why indeed?

You really are concerned, aren't you?

About Miss Misaka?

Huh?! Wh-Wh-What are you talking about?!

I was only speaking as a member of Judgment!

I-I am by no means interested in that girl!

I mean, sure, her manner earlier
was quite distinguished, but even so--

Damn! What the hell is going on?!

Why are our own people ambushing us?

Hey!

You all right? What do you make of this--

Stay back!

Whoa!

What the hell, man?!
Are you telling me you're the mole?!

No, you are! You traitor!

I could say the same!

--Her ability has them unable
to tell who's a friend or foe.
--Why, you! Hey, stop that, dumbass! --Damn you!

Now that they can't rely on
their cooperation or communications,

they can no longer function as an organization.

This is the VIP room floor.
Kihara Gensei's room would be...

What are you doing there?!

You're with Q Squad?

You know you're in D Squad's section, right?

Oh, um,

it sounded like you had an
emergency here, so I came to help.

Hmm. Our visitor has already taken shelter.

I need you to stick close.

Follow me.

Right.

I could knock him out right here,

but if Gensei is inside,
it would be better to let him take me there.

This one is sketchy.

Q Squad shouldn't even be on duty right now.

Moreover, she didn't respond to the signal.

As soon as I turn this next corner...

--I'll turn around and put a b*llet in her.
--I'll turn around and put a b*llet in her.

That's what he's thinking.

I don't need you to tell me.

My radar has already picked up on him.

What's with the getup?

Oh, hush!

Unlike you, I can't afford to
let my face or gym clothes be seen.

But never mind me, where is Gensei?

I'm putting my investigative
powers to work right now.

He better not have gotten away.

I've seized control of all the escape routes,

from the underground passageways
to the heliport on the roof.

Speak of the devil...

He said that Gensei is in custody.

Hmm...

There's nothing here, which is no surprise.

It's about one step short of collapsing.

And any materials that were left
over were probably already looted.

Or so I thought...

Someone's here!

Man, that cosplay girl is a real sl*ve driver.

--Yeah, but we're being paid well enough.

--What are they doing in here?
--Yeah, but we're being paid well enough.

The electricity is on?

Ah, it's closing!

Whew, just barely made it!

Wait, why did I even come in here?

I-It won't open!
I need a special card or something.

Wh-Wh-What do I do?

--I should call Uiharu-- Uh-oh!

--So anyway, what's she
supposed to be cosplaying as?
--I should call Uiharu-- Uh-oh!

--Beats me. A nurse, maybe?
--I should call Uiharu-- Uh-oh!

Could this place actually be...?

Do not turn around.

S-Sure...

What are you doing in here?

O-Oh, um, I-I just...

...got a little lost...

Forget everything you saw,
and get out of here without another word.

O-Okay, I will. I'm leaving right now.

Bingo! Why did my sense about
these things have to be right this time?

U-Um, I can't get out of here by myself--

I told you not to turn around, you idiot!

Huh? What is...?

Whoops.

Hmm? What are you doing?
You're just letting her get away.

This plan business is
already in its final stage, right?

I figured that no matter what
happened here, it wouldn't interfere.

Then again, you have
no reason to let her live, do you?

Excuse me, what's all the commotion--

An intruder. Go catch
the girl who just ran away.

R-Right!

Idiot.

Why'd you have to stick your nose in here?

What is it, Doctor?

Xóchitl, I need you to listen closely.

As it happens, I finally was
able to inquire of the members

of Academy City's Governing Board
and get everything arranged.

What?

Wah! No!

Come on! Let go of me!

--Well, well, well, what a lively little rat.
--I said let me go!

What are we gonna do with this kid?

--Hmm... Once you get her
to tell you why she snuck in,
--Put me down, you big...!

dispose of her any way you see fit.

--I've got places I have to go.
--No!

Oh-ho...

What's this? Betrayal?

Or do you have some kind of
sentiment for the rat behind you?

I don't really care what happens to this idiot.

But the real backstabber
here is you, isn't it, Kozaku?

MEMBER, the dark side organization I belong to,

is supposed to work under the direction
of Academy City's Governing Board.

So naturally, we thought that your
orders came from the governing board.

However...

...the Doctor had some doubts
and did some fact checking.

He discovered that this job has
nothing to do with the governing board.

You conspired with an outside client
and used your position as a go-between

to get Baba and me to do your work.

Didn't you?

As far as I'm concerned,

it doesn't matter who's giving the instructions.

But when it comes to traitors,

they must be punished.

My, my, if we go at it right here,
it will be a one-sided m*ssacre.

Are you sure about that?

You may think you can
sit back and watch from afar,

but I doubt you're aware of
the full extent of my techniques.

I'm willing to bet 90% of that is hot air,

but it's true, her unusual powers
are unlike anything in Academy City.

She may conjure up some phenomenon
I would never even imagine.

I can't exactly afford
any setbacks at this point, either.

Sheesh! Okay, fine.

I'm out of here.

But one word of warning before I go.
If you have somewhere to go home to,

right now would be a
good time to leave Academy City.

If you want to live to an old age, that is.

I have nowhere to return to. Besides,

there's someone here I have
to hunt down even if it costs me my life.

Aren't you a little lady?

U-Um...

Thank you so much for sparing me!

Huh? You're that girl I met yesterday, right?

Is this your way of thanking me
for showing you how to use your cell--

Ow!

There's self-defense techniques,
and there's martyr's resolve,

and if you don't have either of them,

don't go thoughtlessly wandering
into the dark side's business.

Follow me.

I'll take you to the exit.

Mm-hmm.

So, where was he?

We found him hiding in the safe room.

This...

is Kihara Gensei?

Should I pull his tape off?

Oh, I don't need him to talk.

I'll consult his brain directly.

What are you doing?!

A disguise?

Wait, Shokuho! What's going on?!

Shokuho!

Huh?

A Kihara Gensei duplicate, using special makeup?

I have some business
that I just could not get out of.

But, sir...

All you have to do at the
forum is nod and say "mm-hmm."

Okay...

Now, if you're reading his memories,
you know what the situation is.

Sir?

If you're there now,
then you can't be at you-know-where.

Um...

Do you think Exterior
can be kept safe without you,

Shokuho Misaki?

Why?

Why would Gensei do that?

Hold up! Shokuho!

At least explain what's going on!

Drive! As fast as you can!

--Ow!
--Ow!

Coming around, are you?

You're in a certain
building in School District 2.

"Did you rescue Misaka?"
asks Misaka, expressing her gratitude.

No, this is all just part of the job.
I do not need any thanks.

And she's back asleep again.

Well, well, here I thought I had finally
found some respectable work again...

...but it looks like things
have taken an ugly turn.

"Next episode preview"

What exactly is "Exterior"?

"Next episode preview"
"#10 Clone Dolly"

Huh? Oh, you know, it's that legendary sword.

That's "Excalibur."

The big light fixture?

That's a "chandelier."

A dog?

That's a "terrier."

Someone who does hairdos
with only their own hair?

Those are extensions--no, wait!
Hey, what's the big idea?