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[color=Silver]	The ride was quiet. Takai could tell that both of them had inner thoughts of their own, yet no one said a word. For the majority of the ride, Takai flickered around with numerous instruments on his headpiece and stared out of the black-tinted windows. NeoTokyo's archaic design proved itself a worthy adversary for Kaz, though her driving mostly got them through without any worries whatsoever. For a while, Takai was still in silent awe over the contrast of the old and new world surrounding them. Designed brick buildings that were considered withered by design layered one street, only to be followed by the far more advanced technicality of the modernised apartments, neon districts and layered streets. Thousands of working bodies wandered aimlessly in herds throughout every corner before they left the centre of the metropolis, returning to the exterior edges of the promise-land. Soon enough, the more empty lands beyond the brightened flourishing mid-day life became a familiar sight once more. Takai had been into the Exclusion Zone only once, and the experiences were not as fancy as he'd like to have imagined. Luckily, they were only circumnavigating its perimeter, finding the appropriate street to intercept Iwata's homestead. Once more, Takai clenched onto the hope that she wasn't home, just like the intelligence support suggested, giving him free reign to explore her newer life without interruption or danger.

	Kaz finally spoke, which at first felt more like a mutter than an intriguing question. Her ponder on his previous service made him think for a while. He'd never seen military service, though he hadn't been too far from it. Overseas was a different sort of question, however. He'd never seen the world outside of Okinawa, as well as mainland Japan itself. It was a saddening thought. But nevertheless, he'd been too focused on the career-based priorities that he'd almost forgotten what it was like to be ultimately free from the torment of the underworld that was reality. For a second, he sighed, before returning to the conversation by turning to Kaz, seeing her eyes fixated onto the road and journey ahead.[/color]

[color=2EAC5F][b]"Overseas? No, unfortunately not."[/b][/color] [color=Silver]He planned to finish the topic there, but seeing her strive to make conversation after such a while of silence, he felt a large sense of guilt force himself to speak once more. Innately, there was no reason to disappoint Kaz, for she did ultimately seem like an interesting, albeit dangerous, individual to converse with when the chances came around.[/color] [color=2EAC5F][b]"Well, I wish I had. Grew up a policeman, Kyoto originally. Eventually found the lifestyle abysmal and falling apart. Y'know how the story goes: found a love life, fell apart and fell into a bit of a tough financial spot, before leaving the badge behind and looking for a way to satisfy wanderlust. Always wanted to travel, as I've never left Japanese soil. Guess fate had other plans and I found himself in the eyes of a specialised investigation unit, kind of like a predecessor to the NSF's formation. Kinda fell back in love with the workline, felt like I was [i]actually[/i] doing something."[/b][/color]

[color=Silver]	Takai was visibly uncomfortable with looking back over his life. It felt monotonous, underwhelming and ultimately a waste of a fairly stolen childhood. Blended with the years of silence accompanying it, where friends were hard to come by and the line of duty kept him warm on most rainy days, Takai did feel rather insignificant in the grand scheme of things. He'd been an asset to Japan and even was amidst a political landslide that dictated the future of millions across the nation, yet despite all of this it was something he felt almost numb to nowadays. Takai's slight lust for a regular lifestyle was nowhere to be found anymore. There were no comfortable homesteads under his name, where a potential child or lover of his would greet him as he walked through the door everyday. All of that was a romanticised version of the true and gritty reality he'd found himself in. All of the stories he'd heard as a child had set his mind up for a richness of traditional value, where service was the ultimate offering to give to Japan, returned with the greatest honour and lifestyle in return...they'd all been rather false. Takai sighed once more, quietly fumbling with his headpiece once more to pass the time. He felt bad for Kaz being partnered with him, despite it being entirely by her own accord. He wasn't the most comfortable partner to be centred with, especially with his focus on friendship being fractured by the one-sided attention he gave when he started his path to the NSF.

	In truth, Takai had lost a lot of faith in where his life was going, and so he accepted that perhaps he'd just be a walking gunman with orders to finalise the domesticated plans for Japan's future. Japan needed people to dictate what would come about in the finale of the ideological shadow-war, and for all that those people knew a great deal had to be set aside to ensure it was down flawlessly. The NSF had been quiet for Takai since Iwata had left, once again separating him from one of the few friends he'd started to get comfortable alongside. There was no offence to Kaz: she'd been good conversation alongside Daiyu since they'd joined, giving Takai a sort of responsibility to look over the more absent minded individuals who'd found their ways within the force.[/color]

[color=2EAC5F][b]"Well, at least we're getting things done. Heard a buzz on the radio that some sort of tea party was going on back at the base."[/b][/color] [color=Silver]Takai sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose with the tips of his gloved fingers.[/color] [color=2EAC5F][b]"When I said we weren't running a daycare, I'm starting to doubt it. I mean...it's really nice that they're talking to each other, but with only days before the raid...I'm not so sure. Maybe I'm just jealous that I'll never find my own way into one of those gatherings."[/b][/color]

[color=Silver]	Of course, only selected individuals of the Section Commander were aware of the Raid's existence. Those in the tea-party were either aware and silent on the matter or were blissfully ignorant to its development. They'd be briefed on it the day prior, and at least they were told to not make plans for the week as to ensure maximum availability. Other sections had already conducted their own raids recently, so it was only natural for it to fall onto Takai's own unit.

	Finally, the car arrived to its destination, and Takai asked for Kaz to stop the car. Where she'd park was up to her, but Takai had to simply focus on his own personal matter. Once the vehicle had reached a full stop, knowing that they were only moments away from their objective, he opened his door and walked to the rear of the vehicle, grabbing some of his own personal equipment. Firstly, he drew his firearms, holstering them onto his personnel and slinging the larger of the two around his body. The essentials were out, alongside their ammunition. Most of the things he needed alongside protection were already on his body before he'd gotten into the car. He returned to the seat he originally sat in, opening the door and leaning in to talk to Kaz.[/color]

[color=2EAC5F][b]"Keep watch on that monitor when you're ready. It'll feed onto my camera. Let me know if you see anything going on outside or notice anything on the camera. We'll be on our own for a short while."[/b][/color] [color=Silver]With his gloved fingers, he prodded the side of his headgear, watching it fold down onto his eyes. Once his vision was replaced with the cybernetic view of useful information, he turned, closing the door and thumping the side of it to give Kaz the okay to move if she desired to. From there, he moved forward on foot, quickly jogging down the street as to save time. All around them, the empty eeriness of the street left a faint impression of nervousness in their muscles. Takai felt the clattering of his uniform silently muster his existence. As he jogged, his eyes darted all around his sockets, staring at every conceivable angle he could identify as his steady breath lit up the microphone linked into his system. Motions of generalised suspense always came with these sort of operations, breaking the loud and proud romanticism of the policing life. The NSF weren't officers of the law, they were political weapons used for a good that was either greater or worse than the ideals each operative held.

	Eventually, he reached the front door. Perfect. Yet things felt...off. The door was unlocked. As he opened it, he aimed his firearms, expecting some sort of trap to be laid before him, but there was no such thing. Before him, a silent, dark room vapid of life and colour presented itself. A splash of browns and greys, mixed with the ugliness of dimmed, abstract artwork almost perfectly fit the exact formulae of Iwata's self. Turning around, Takai quickly looked at the door, seeing that it indeed had no lock built into it. He sighed, wiping his cheek to check he was still in one piece. So far, so good. No signs of trouble and a seemingly empty home ripe for the investigation. Takai eventually got to work, using his HUD to begin his silent search of the premises. On the bottom floor, things seemed to be...quiet. Little did Takai actually realise, that just outside, a vehicle had pulled up.[/color]

[centre][sub][@Smike][/sub][/centre]