A/N: Well...here we are once again. Couple of things: 1) SMUT is a given, but it'll be awhile before that'll happen, 2) This has a bit of a dark outline, so no shock there, and 3) it'll mostly be in Izaya's POV. 'Kay, any questions? No? Alright, let's do it!

Ah…I never tired of Ikebukuro. It may have been because I adored my fights that I had with Shizu-chan, or maybe because it was full of human life and information. Well, whichever it was, the city never faltered to keep my interest.

Skipping merrily down the street, I was on my way to have another meeting with Shiki. Normally, in a situation like this, he'd send someone to escort me, but he said it was urgent and should only be discussed in utmost caution and secrecy. I was a little puzzled, but obliged.

"Still…" I slowed my pace, putting a finger to my lips in thought, "He sounded almost…shaken…"

Brushing the feeling off, I continued walking, and it wasn't before long that a stop sign was hurled in my direction, barely missing me by an inch or two. Putting on my signature smirk, I turned to the hyperventilating blonde further down.

"What's wrong, my dear Shizu-chan?" I taunted, reaching into my pocket to grip my flick blade, "Out of breath already? I haven't even made a move yet~"

Said debt collector sent me an animalistic grin.

"Exactly," he growled, inching closer, "Just stay right there so I can kick the shit out you."

Playfully, I shuddered, "Ooh~ Shizu-chan's so rough~!"

A vein burst on his forehead, and Shizu-chan grabbed the collar of my shirt, holding me up for eye-to-eye view.

"…Just to let you know, I just got this shirt cleaned~"

The former bartender clenched his teeth, and in a spilt second, he threw me across the street. I felt the air whizz through my hair and ears before I crashed into what felt like an innocent pedestrian. Both of us collapsed in a heap, and I struggled to get off the other body under me.

"A-Ah…" I groaned, attempting to stand on my feet, "Sorry about that…blame that brute over there."

I stretched, popping my neck, and I asked nonchalantly to the person still on the ground, "You're alright, aren't you?"

The dark-haired man stared at me for a minute, almost giving the impression that he was looking me over. Gradually, he stood up, brushing off his suit, and before I could even ask why, his lips curled into a thick smile.

"Yes, thank you," he replied calmly as he straightened his tie. I couldn't help but pass a strange look his way, so I asked again.

"…you sure?"

He nodded, still giving me an almost twisted grin, and slowly continued past me with some sort of glint in his blackish eyes. I swore his hand brushed coyly against my jacket.

…I went over what just happened, and a chill suddenly ran up my spine.

What the hell…? Maybe the impact did some sudden brain damage…?

The act of passing humans by normally left nothing to me but a lost thought in my mind, but that man…something didn't seem right…

"IZAYA-KUN!"

I flinched as I felt another object whiz past my head, but I stayed put, still thinking about the weird encounter. Shizu-chan kept stomping up to me, almost like a child throwing a temper-tantrum, and grabbed the back of my jacket, tugging on the hood.

"Hey, flea!" he called abruptly as he shook me, "You listenin' to me?! Stay out of Ikebukuro!"

Honestly, I was so hung up over that strange man that Shizu-chan's voice sounded muffled to me. Finally, after exchanging confused looks with the brute, I sighed.

"Let go, Shizu-chan," I ordered, "I actually don't have time to play - there's somewhere I need to be."

The blonde raised an eyebrow, and eventually, he reluctantly did as he was told. After feeling the soles of my shoes hit the concrete, I immediately began to walk in the opposite direction to my meeting.

"Um…flea…?" Shizu-chan called confusedly, but I didn't turn around.

Yes, I was trying to make it to Shiki on time, but…that man…

Who was he?

"You're a little late, Orihara-san."

I sighed softly, sitting down on the seat opposite of the Awakusu member.

"Let's just say something…weird got in the way…"

"Mm?" Shiki puffed on his cigarette, "Do tell."

I shook my head, "I doubt it's worth mentioning. Of course it involved that brute, but…n-never mind..."

Shiki gave me an almost expecting look, but eventually, he shrugged.

"Alright, whatever you say – let's get down to business."

With a snap of his finger, another man brought Shiki a closed folder. He unclipped it and spread its contents out on the table. I studied them closely, thinking it was just a bunch of documents and photographs, but my eyes widened when I realized that one of the pictures was the same strange man that I bumped into earlier.

"What the hell…?" I muttered, looking to my supervisor, "Who is this?"

Leaning back in his seat, Shiki answered casually, "Shinosuke Nakamura. He used to work with us a while back, then he slipped away without a trace."

I raised an eyebrow, examining one of the pictures in my hold.

"Slipped away?" I queried, "What do you mean?"

"Exactly as I said," he replied, "Nakamura was actually one of our top guys – all into the technological and hush-hush stuff, you know?"

"Mm-hmm. What happened?"

"Well, it turns out that he was a little too good in his field, and he ended up stealing a lot of money and info from us. Like I said, I don't know how that bastard managed to get by us, but I want you to track him down."

I bit my lip, setting the picture down slowly.

"You don't have to worry about that…"

Shiki looked puzzled, "What?"

Sighing again, "Aaah…well, let's just say that I recognize this…runaway of yours…"

"Oh, really?" he seemed skeptical, "This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with that 'weird' circumstance that you spoke of earlier…would it?"

I shifted. It wasn't often that Shiki became this intimidating, but the look in his eye made me think twice about trying to evade the question.

"…y-yeah. He's not a client or anything, but Shizu-chan and I got into it again. That brute threw me across the street, and I bumped right into him…"

"…I see…" the man took another drag of his cigarette, "Well, there's a lead. That gives the assumption that he looks practically the same as before. He say anything to you?"

I nodded, "Yeah, just an 'I'm fine' after crashing into him, but…it was the way he was looking at me…plus I think he touched the brim of my jacket as he walked past."

Shiki pinched the bridge of his nose, "Yeah…he's still sick as ever, I see…"

"Oh?"

"Yep…anyway, here."

The Awakusu member slid a few papers towards me at the table, and after scanning them, I nodded again.

"Yeah, this is him. Dark wavy hair, chiseled jaw, bluish-black eyes…very professional look…"

"Tch…whatever you say…" Shiki snorted, "Anyways, we did a little bit of digging of our own before we called you on this, and I'm really thinking that he's got some underground business going on?"

"What type of underground business?"

"That's up to you to find out, but whatever it is, it's to further his own purposes."

"…Aren't all underground professions?"

"This one's a little different, I hear," he explained, "You remember me telling you that Nakamura is the research type?"

"Yes."

"Sometimes when he wasn't working for us, he'd be off doing some sort of…I dunno…some 'experimental' shit that dealt with the human psyche."

"What?"

"Yeah, we could never figure out just exactly what he was out doing, but day by day, we were getting bothered by it. Sometimes he'd be gone for days on end, just working in some closed off room – that ain't right."

I chuckled, "Hehe…yeah, I guess that'd be a little…abnormal…"

Shiki only grunted, handing me the rest of the contents in the folders.

"Just find this guy already," he sighed tiredly, "I'm ready to bring this bastard back here so he give back what he stole. I'm counting on you, Orihara-san."

"Don't worry," I replied with a light smirk, "I ran into him by accident today, so I'm positive I can get him if I put effort into it."

Shiki smiled determinedly, extending his hand to shake mine.

"Good."

After Shiki arranged to have me driven back to my apartment in Shinjuku, I stretched as I entered my home. Dusk was barely forming, but I was nearly exhausted. Plopping in my office chair, I swiveled in silence, thinking over my new assignment.

"He's one of those tech types…" I mumbled, "And he's interested in human psychology…huh...That one was a little obvious…"

I hummed, pulling out one of the documents and examining it once more. Looking closely, my eyes widened as I reviewed the next page.

"He was kicked out of school for locking two fellow students in a janitor's closet…with a camera attached in the corner. Both were gagged and drugged with some sort of homemade concoction…?"

Slowly, I was beginning to regret taking on this job. Most think I have no soul – and I wouldn't argue that – but this guy sounded sick. Maybe it was something regarding mental health or maybe it was some horrid childhood experience.

"Whatever the case," I leaned back, "Shinosuke Nakamura is no average man."

"Such flattery."

I was thrown back from my chair, struggling with four men in dark clothing, and I tried to scream as a wet cloth was shoved in my mouth. I flailed and kicked while one attempted to tie up my hands and feet, but I ended up hitting one of the assailants in the jaw.

"Little bastard…!" I heard one say, "He's squirming too much!"

I sensed him reaching into a bag or his pockets, taking out a glowing syringe. I shrieked and thrashed, but the needle was jabbed harshly in my side. I tried to fight as long as I could, but the drug slowly took its effect, making me lose all consciousness.

"Yes, that's right – go to sleep…"

Ah...darkness~ Anyway, more things: 1) Shinosuke is an OC - I just didn't realize it until after I made him (yes, that's possible for me to forget...), 2) Chapters will not have titles, if you haven't already noticed, and 3) Unlike Hush Little Bartender, I actually have a outline for this story. Is it completely finished? No. Do I have enough to go on for at least three to four more chapters? Yes, I do, so no worries there~