#1：Makoto's melancholy

Person of Interest : Extraction of brain pattern via Remote Portal

Note: Portal pattern extraction is an experimental technique, so the reliability of the result may be low.

#1：Makoto's melancholy

Location : Metropolitan Police department, Chiyoda, Tokyo

-- On that day, I was in a meeting room of the Metropolitan Police Department at Chiyoda Ward. In front of me sitting in a folding chair, there are men in a business suit across a long table. They are probably persons in a high-position of Police Department. They are all old, but their eyes are keen.

Just like a job interview, five guys are looking at me. Their eyes spoke curiosity and skepticism. I have seen such a gaze over and over. One of the men says heavily to me when I felt uncomfortable and looked away from their eyes.

"Mr. Midorikawa Makoto, I got a report about you. But is that true? Do you really have that... 'special skill' ?"

"Uh...well...yes."

I responded to his question weakly. I think that the reason of that he used ambiguous expressions like "special skill" is that he is a high official of police. I can understand his feeling that he can not affirm such a strange thing easily. If so, please let me be... I thought so, then another man said.

“If so, please demonstrate it now. We can not believe it unless we actually see it.”

And he placed a dirty knife on the desk. I looked vacant, then he said.

"This is a weapon discovered at the scene of the murder case that occurred two years ago. The criminal of the incident was already arrested."

"Well... so how should I do this...?"

"Only by touching this, you can identify the offender of the incident. Can't you?"

I frowned when I hear it. Sure it is, but his order was outrageous. He may not understand what is my "ability". But I can not refuse it. I sighed and answered.

“Yes, I try it...but please don't blame me even if I fail.”

I removed the glove on my right hand, and slowly moved my hand closer toward that knife. And the moment I touched it... the "memories" left in the knife came into my mind.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

-- It was a terrible sight. Somewhere in a dark alley, the big guy with beard stabs an old woman. He repeatedly stabs the old woman's body with a knife, and every time it gets splashed with blood -- Eventually the old woman collapse and fell down on the ground.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“...Ugh!!”

Looking at them, I trembled tremendously. I shed a cold sweat, and I had difficult to breath. The men who had been paying attention to me, asked me with interest.

"How are you? Could you see something?"

"Yes...I saw a sight that a big guy with a beard kills an old lady on the alley..."

When I answered, the men were upset. They whispered each other.

"This is the 'Psychometry' ...the ability that reading memories of objects."

"I heard that it is used in the investigation of the case in the United States. Such ability really exists...!"

"I find it hard to believe it, but what he said is consistent with the investigation record at the time of the incident... I cannot but have to believe it."

These reactions are as I expected. I have always been treated like this. I was bored by it, then one of the men said.

"...Your ability was confirmed. We would like to hire you as planned."

"As a police detective, is it? I don't think I can fulfill such duty..."

"No, as there is no precedent, formal entry is difficult. We will hire you pilotly as a temporary outside staff."

"So?"

"We want you to cooperate when we need your 'ability'. You are a so-called Special Investigator."

The man smiled while saying that. He will have said it coolly, but I am not pleased in particular.

"Psychometry Agent"...I did not want to take such a profession as to appear in anime like that at all.