Durarara!! SH Vol 1 Chapter 2.1

CHAPTER 2A

The Missing

The Awakusu-kai of Medei Group was one of those types of organisation, one that had an extensive territory in Ikebukuro.

(T/N: Back in Durarara!! the Awakusu-kai was middle-class.)

An executive of this organisation, Shiki, had been called to the headquarters of the Awakusu-kai early this morning.
Having nothing come to mind at the summons, Shiki went to the headquarters half-warily – Only, waiting for him was a stray bullet from a completely unexpected direction.

“Disappearances, is it.”

“Yeah, disappearances. Especially with young people, it’s been happening a lot in our territory.”

He was countering the malicious talk behind his back, that he was riding on his father’s favour, with his own capability, and was currently at heads with one of the executives, Aozaki.

He said this sourly; and Shiki, after a number of seconds considering how to reply, said,

“I’m not aware of the initial number, but just from what I know there’ve been 15 cases this month.”

At this information, Shiki sunk into thought briefly.

—If that’s the case, it’s safe to assume the information is accurate.

Even so, Shiki reconsidered.

If one were to heed the fact that for many years the number exceeded 100,000, 15 was not a large number at all.

Of course, not all missing persons disappeared as though spirited away; in a large proportion of cases they were found after a search was requested.

There Shiki bowed his head. Mikiya had a daughter by the name of Awakusu Akane, who had, while still in elementary school, run away from home for a few days 2 years ago.

“What is it? It couldn’t be something connected to the organisation?”

“And why so?”

But so far as Shiki was aware, they had never been inclined to whimsically vanishing perfectly innocent people from the streets.

If the Awakusu-kai distributed drugs it was possible that that child could’ve been a trafficker, but in the first place the Awakusu-kai should have no hand drug dealing.

Furthermore, insofar as drugs were the most effective means of income, the Awakusu-kai’s policy was to act in a manner that would give them the home advantage, so it was necessary to avoid repelling the residents of the city more than necessary.

Shiki, gradually understanding Mikiya’s frown, regarded him again with a different perspective.

“Do you know about the Headless Rider?”

“You know, right? They’re a courier you and Akabayashi hire now and then.”

Shiki answered without making to conceal anything, to which Mikiya continued, calmly: “Apparently they took care of Akane somehow. She talks about them occasionally.”

“This might sound too direct, but what are they?”

“It can’t be that there really isn’t anything above their neck, can it?”

“…What?”

At Shiki, who spoke calmly, Mikiya slammed the table.

Even in the face of a shout that would’ve caused any other person to recoil, Shiki, with a cool expression, replied courteously. “Young Head. I think you would know best whether I am a person to make shitty useless jokes at a time like this.”

At that Mikiya went silent.

That was exactly why he could not easily accept it.

“Yes, which is to say, the Headless Rider is the Headless Rider. It is natural to doubt; I will introduce you directly next time. Head Dogen is aware, though.”

Mentioning the name of Dogen, who was the leader as well as his father, was not something he could interpret as a joke and beat Shiki up for. In the first place, not only Shiki – no one in the organisation would be so extreme as to use Dogen’s name for a lie or a joke.

“…Well, we can come back to this some other time. Whether the Headless Rider’s the real thing or a magician doesn’t matter. The problem is that the Headless Rider might have a hand in the disappearances.’

“Yeah; the missing people… All of them were big fans of the Headless Rider.”

At the sudden use of the term, a frown formed on Shiki’s face.

“Those people have always been around, haven’t they. Why suddenly…” “I’d like to know that too. Now and then there’ve been freelance writers going after the Headless Rider, but that one’s the first to disappear. But it looks like it’s been spreading badly on the internet or something.”

As Shiki nodded, his tone agreeing, Mikiya sighed deeply.

“…I heard that seniors at Akane’s middle school have disappeared, too.”

“In her own way Akane feels a debt for the help when she ran away. So when she heard the rumours that the Headless Rider was responsible she said they wouldn’t do something like that; apparently she’s looking for the Headless Rider on her own now.”

If the ‘Headless Rider’ Shiki knew of had indeed been behind the disappearances, it would naturally be dangerous for Akane. Other than the fact that they knew Akane’s face and position, the fact was that causing mass disappearances could not have been done with a sound mind.

“…Of course, I stopped her. But you should know how Akane is.”

“Seriously, who does she take after…”

—Mikiya gave off that feel when he was younger, too.

He was not so skilful as to be so sarcastic to a superior.

“Well whatever. It’d be much simpler if you could contact the Headless Rider. Get them here as fast as possible… No, it’d be bad for them to come to our headquarters or offices right now. Have them meet you someplace suitable, and ask them if they know anything.”

“? Why?”

“That courier’s currently on leave… They’re on vacation, with that underground doctor they cohabit with.”

At Mikiya’s frown, Shiki, voice still even, spoke only the truth.

“Not just for the past month; the Headless Rider hasn’t been in the city for a good half year.”

****CHAPTER END****

Chapter end