—When I came to, I was on a bed. My lower back and neck throbbed slightly. It seemed I had been unconscious for a while. Where was I?
“Oh, looks like you’re awake.”
Beside the bed, a man in a white short-sleeved shirt sat in a chair, watching me.
“Um… where am I?”
“Ah, the infirmary. I apologize for what our Director did. She’s always like this.”
He had an exasperated look. He was a refreshing-looking man wearing glasses. He looked to be around thirty, perhaps the same age as the Director? He had somewhat long, deep brown hair. His gentle tone of voice made me feel strangely calm.
“The Director is seriously merciless, regardless of whether you’re a man or a woman.”
A cheerful woman’s voice came from the back of the room. Had she been preparing a warm drink for me? She walked over carrying a tea set for three.
“My name is Toshiro Hayama. I’m assigned here as the medical officer and in charge of supply and equipment management.I’m Japanese-American, just like you. The lovely lady next to me is Christiana Harris. Please call her Chris. You can just call me Toshi.”
The cute woman with loose twin-tails smiled brightly and bowed.
“I’m Christiana Harris, in charge of communications and analysis. It’s great to meet you!”
She looked to be in her early twenties, or perhaps even a student. She had pure white skin and large, double-eyelided sky-blue eyes. Her light freckles added a wonderful adorableness to her. Her light, natural makeup suited her perfectly.
“The Director said you didn’t last ten seconds, but please don’t let it bother you! I didn’t even last five seconds, and Mr. Hayama was done in about ten.”
“Hey now. I put up a pretty good fight and lasted about fifteen seconds.”
The two of them harmoniously chatted about their past sparring matches with the Director. Their atmosphere gradually eased my mind and calmed me down.
Director Hardy Evans.To be honest, I didn’t stand a chance. Overwhelming power and speed. The insight to read her opponent’s movements—she was on a completely different level in every aspect. She must possess considerable actual combat experience.
“Well, I suppose the only one who could put up a good fight against the Director is Kamikura. He actually went toe-to-toe with her for a whole minute.”
“It’s amazing that Kamikura could fight like that against a former Navy SEALs commander, isn’t it?
I’ve watched the recording so many times. The Director even used weapons when she fought him.”
(—Just as I’d expect from Kamikura, to be able to go toe-to-toe with someone like her for a minute… A former commander of the US Navy special operations force, Navy SEALs.Just as I thought, she’s an unbelievable woman…)
“By the way, Himemiya, you’re childhood friends with Kamikura, right? Could it be that you’re his girlfriend?”
The unexpected words caught me off guard. I almost choked.
“Hey now, Chris. You were just scolded for casually asking about things you learned from snooping into HR files. I’m sorry about her, Himemiya.”
“We are indeed childhood friends, and we got along well—I think—but I’m not his girlfriend. Kamikura is fundamentally unsociable, anyway…”
I was born in America, but due to my parents’ job transfers and family circumstances, I lived in Japan during middle school and high school.
My meeting with Kamikura was sudden. Thinking back, it was right before I entered middle school after graduating from elementary school; my grandmother suddenly introduced him to me as her adopted son.
“We will be looking after him starting today. His name is Hisamune Kamikura.Asami, make sure you get along with him.”
A small Shinto shrine in the mountains of Shizuoka Prefecture. That sacred place was managed by my family home in Japan, the Himemiya family. My grandmother, Kikuna Himemiya, was the chief priest of the shrine.
Perhaps because of how strictly she raised me during my middle and high school years, to be honest, I didn’t want to return home except for the divine rituals held once every three years. She was strict enough to make me secretly harbor such thoughts, but at heart, she was a kind person.
Even now, I still don’t know the circumstances behind Kamikura being adopted. I felt more than a little that I shouldn’t ask about it, and given my grandmother’s instructions, I thought it was important to get along with him.
From a young age, Kamikura was unsociable, or rather, a child who rarely smiled. He didn’t play any of the games that boys his age would typically be interested in, but it wasn’t as if he neglected his studies either. In fact, his grades were always top of the class.
If he had a single hobby, or something he devoted himself to, it was Kendo and Judo. I think he read books often, too. He was the picture-perfect boy who excelled in both literary and military arts. Perhaps because of that, there was a never-ending line of girls approaching Kamikura, but as far as I know, he never dated anyone. He never came to me for advice about it, either. Conversely, I was often mistaken for his girlfriend and subjected to the hostility of other girls.
“Is that so? You’re so pretty, Himemiya, so I was absolutely sure you were his girlfriend.”
Smiling brightly as she spoke, Chris probably meant no harm whatsoever. However, at twenty-eight years old, having fulfilled my duties on the front lines of the NYPD and the FBI, the word “pretty” made me feel somewhat belittled.
I wondered if this was just a consequence of my age…
“Speaking of Kamikura—”
I took a sip of the Darjeeling tea I was served, and just as I started to speak, an announcement echoed through the facility.
“All UCIA personnel, assemble in the operation room in three minutes.I repeat—”
—The Operation Room. It was a space slightly narrower and darker than the office, but the front and the left and right walls from the entrance were themselves giant monitors. The Director was already seated at the back. The top of the circular conference table itself also seemed to be a monitor, and it appeared to be running on a unique system I had never seen before. It seemed to be backed by the latest technology and an abundant budget.
“Himemiya, I’m sorry about earlier. Were you injured?”
“No, I have no problem.”
Unlike earlier, I felt a slight gentleness in her tone. I’m sure she is normally a kind person. Thinking back, I felt like she had smiled gently when she welcomed me at the entrance.
“Now, Kamikura hasn’t returned yet, but I’ll explain the duties of the UCIA once again.”
As the room darkened, a 3D hologram of a map of Japan was projected in the center of the circular table. I had never seen a 3D hologram with such high definition and a wide display range. It looked as if the real thing was floating in the air.
“We, the UCIA, are ostensibly an agency that specializes in investigating cold cases and inexplicable incidents that have hit a dead end. However, as I think you may have vaguely realized, Himemiya, we are not an agency that simply handles those incidents. We are supposed to investigate when it is thought that there is a certain commonality behind them.”
When Chris operated the terminal on the circular table, several red dots appeared on the holographic map of Japan.
“This is it. It hasn’t been announced publicly, but it shows the locations where skeletonized corpses were discovered on the rooftops of buildings. 16 cases in the past two years. 10 of those occurred last year.”
(It nearly doubled last year…)
“Of course, this is no exception in various parts of the world. And, these incidents have these things in common.”
When Chris operated the terminal again, the common factors were projected on the large monitor behind the Director.
The victim is always completely skeletonized on the rooftop of a building with a good view.
All victims are female.
The age is limited to 15 years old and older up to their 20s.
“And, whether it’s credible or not—as a result of investigations in various places, a certain urban legend is always flickering in and out of sight.”
Coupled with the darkness of the room, I felt a little scared. I gulped down my saliva.
“Yume-mi-sama… That’s what it’s called in Japan. In our home country and Europe, it’s also called the White Witch or the Black Angel.”
“…Yume-mi-sama?”
“It’s said to appear in a woman’s dream and bestow a magical accessory that grants wishes. And while some say their wishes came true and they became happy, others say they became unhappy or went missing; the outcomes vary. In the investigations, there are testimonies that all the victims had talked to the people around them about things related to this, or that there was something strange about their behavior, before they were found skeletonized.”
This was the first time I had heard the word Yume-mi-sama. But I felt like I had heard a similar urban legend a long time ago. A long time ago, probably when I was a student.
“—Could it be that the disappearance cases, which seem to be numerous lately, are related to this?”
Because I belonged to the NSB (National Security Branch) in the FBI, I was not involved in general cases like during my NYPD days, but I was aware that disappearance cases where someone suddenly vanished were occurring in various places. Of course, there was no information at all that such skeletonized corpses had been found, and I couldn’t really think that all of them were…
“That’s right. I don’t think all of them are, of course, but I have a feeling that some of them are related. By the way, strict information control is enforced in each country regarding the skeletonized corpses, so it hasn’t become public. However, I’m thinking that we must strengthen our system if these kinds of incidents increase in the future.”
As if to supplement Director Hardy’s explanation, Hayama opened his mouth.
“It’s a common story for old skeletonized corpses to be found deep in the mountains or in a sea of trees. However, it’s clearly inexplicable for a person who suddenly disappeared to be found immediately as a completely skeletonized corpse on the roof of a building, like in this series of incidents. And behind the incidents, there are signs related to that urban legend. And surprisingly, the culprit has left no evidence whatsoever. —How do you see this series of inexplicable incidents, Himemiya?”
“—Even if we assume that the culprit is a necrophiliac, has a global network, and committed the crimes for a purpose based on some identical ideology… It’s a bit unreasonable. If it were a network-like crime based on an ideology, and they wanted to make it known to the world, I think there would be some kind of advance warning or message of the crime, and that’s what I would do. By the way, Chris, could you give me the total number of incidents worldwide?”
When Chris operated the terminal and the hologram of the world map was displayed, countless red dots were displayed along with it.
“It’s data from 2025, but the total number of occurrences outside of Japan is 135. 32 in the US, 32 in Canada, 29 in Russia, and the remaining 36 are in Europe and Asia.”
“Thank you. Chris, this organization also has a dedicated independent network interactive AI system, right? I’d like to use it if possible.”
There was a point that bothered me a little. If I could use an AI, it would be quick. For a moment, Chris looked at Director Hardy. The Director seemed to notice it, but looked at me again.
“I’m sorry, Himemiya. The UCIA’s AI system has a high operational security level, and an ID won’t be issued until a while after your assignment. I’ll ask VARIS instead, so could you tell me what I should ask?”
“—Understood. Then, please cross-reference the dates of all incident occurrences with lunar age data.”
Director Hardy and Hayama made eye contact and smiled faintly.
“—To the UCIA Autonomous Independent Network AI System VARIS. Begin cross-referencing all CODE:AW incidents that occurred in 2025 with lunar age data.”
(CODE:AW… Some kind of code?)
<Cross-referencing complete. It has been determined that on the night of the estimated date of death for all incidents, the lunar age was 93% and it was a full moon.>
(—I kind of thought so with my “Intuition,” but a full moon was related after all. I wonder if the subtle discrepancies are the effect of slight delays in discovery and the execution date shifting due to the weather on the day…)
“Splendid. As expected from the former FBI. You have wonderful insight.”
Hayama smiled brightly.
“I mean, Director and Hayama. You too, Chris, but you knew about this, didn’t you?”
When I asked Chris for the cross-reference, I wasn’t stupid enough to miss the two of them smiling faintly. Chris smiled apologetically.
“I apologize if I offended you. But we didn’t just want to test you. We were planning to explain about the lunar age later.”
After a pause, Director Hardy said.
“—So, what do you think? Do you think this is some kind of religious incident?”
This many incidents are occurring on full moon days. Considering only this fact, the evidence is weak, but there might be a religious aspect to the incidents. However, the problem is that the victims are found in a completely skeletonized state, and on the rooftops of buildings. This is common to all incidents. And despite so many incidents occurring, not a single piece of evidence has been found. What can be understood from this is…
“There might be a religious aspect to the incidents. However, I thought that this incident—was not caused by ordinary humans.”
“Meaning?”
“It’s too perfect. Even though 145 exactly identical incidents occurred around the world last year, the culprit has left no evidence and hasn’t even shown their tail. If we assume they were ordinary humans and there were multiple culprits, someone would definitely make a trivial mistake eventually. It should be impossible to continue committing perfect murders. And considering that security is being strengthened, even more so…”
“—I’ve come to the same conclusion. That this is not something an ordinary human could do.”
Chris continued as if to supplement.
“Besides, not a single drop of the victims’ blood or pieces of flesh was found at the scene or in the surrounding area. We searched their homes, schools, and every conceivable place, but…”
The more I heard, the more bottomless this series of incidents seemed. It became terrifying. In the modern age where security systems utilizing advanced AI systems have begun to be operated one after another, it’s impossible by common sense to carry out such a heinous murder without leaving a single piece of evidence. Surveillance cameras exist everywhere, and security drones are constantly flying around in thinly guarded areas. Although it hasn’t been announced publicly, the information network is also constantly monitored, from VR histories, search words, and chat logs to SNS, and a system is already in operation in the US that immediately notifies security forces if there are signs of a crime. A similar next-generation information monitoring system should have started operation in Japan in 2024 as well.
“So, these unidentified murderers… or rather, the incidents involving that urban legend behind them, we decided to identify them like this: CODE:AW.”
A moment of silence fell. Chris seemed to be looking down slightly. Mr. Hayama also had a somewhat heavy expression.
“Does CODE:AW stand for something… Did you decide on it, Director?”
“…Unfortunately, I don’t know what it stands for. And it was the higher-ups who decided.”
If it was someone above the Director, would it be the Director of the UCIA? But the staff list only listed Director Hardy as the chief executive. Considering that the UCIA is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice, just like the FBI, that would mean the Attorney General…
“Now, this is going to be a bit administrative from here on, but it’s important, so don’t miss a word.”
“…Yes.”
—I had a bad feeling about this.
“As of this moment, based on the CODE:AW Special Regulations, UCIA Special Agent Asami Himemiya is bound by absolute confidentiality obligations, and her freedom of movement is restricted. In the event of a breach of confidentiality or a serious violation or negligence of UCIA regulations, she shall be tried under a United States court-martial.”
—Just as I thought, my bad feeling was right on the mark.
“W-Wait a minute. What do you mean by restriction of freedom of movement? I haven’t heard anything about being court-martialed for violating regulations!”
I couldn’t help but raise my voice. My boss hadn’t told me a single thing about that regarding my transfer to the UCIA. It wasn’t written in the documents, either. This was just too sudden. I couldn’t accept being court-martialed when I wasn’t even in the military.
“Now that you know about CODE:AW, there is no turning back. Now that you’ve heard about it, you are subject to the CODE:AW Special Regulations. If you belonged to the FBI’s NSB (National Security Branch), you should already know… what kind of place this is.”
“…………”
There was no mistake. This organization was not just an investigative agency. Considering everything so far, this was a highly secure military facility.
“From now on, all of your actions will be monitored, and we will cover and provide all your housing, hotels, and the like. I don’t think you’ll have any privacy, but consider that the guarantee for your safety. Though, we can’t guarantee your life…”
—Even though I had prepared myself to some extent, my mind couldn’t process the gravity of the situation and the unpredictable anxiety of the future; my feelings just couldn’t keep up. For some reason, the corners of my eyes grew hot…
“That is all. After lunch, we will conduct shooting training. Make sure you eat well.”
Saying that, Director Hardy quietly left the briefing room. When her footsteps could no longer be heard, Mr. Hayama and Chris came to my side, looking worried.
“…I think you’re in a bit of shock from all this, but it’s okay. You’ll get used to it soon! I was surprised and scared at first, too…”
“Cheer up. Kamikura should be back soon, too. The treatment here is very good. The benefits are generous, and the pay is good. The UCIA covers everything from rent to utilities. On top of that, it comes with three free meals a day cooked by a skilled chef. We are always provided with the latest equipment, and almost anything you need personally can be expensed if you request it. It’s an organization like paradise.”
Mr. Hayama said this proudly.
“Yeah! You can use expenses for almost whatever you want, so you can take taxis anywhere, and go to delicious cafes and afternoon teas as much as you like! The cafeteria even has an arcade that I specially arranged for, and with VARIS’s overwhelming super-computing power, we can manipulate information and crack—”
“…Hey now. That last one for personal use is definitely not good.”
—To be honest, these two were very cheerful and put my mind at ease. The calm Mr. Hayama, and Chris, who seemed a bit laid-back but was highly energetic. I was happy for their kind consideration. I almost found myself smiling.
“Come on, let’s go eat lunch! The UCIA cafeteria is delicious, too!”
—Heading deeper into the facility from the briefing room, there was a cafeteria. The inside was quite spacious. Large TVs were installed on the walls, and foliage plants were placed here and there. Was it for when you got a little hungry? There were vending machines for snacks, soft drinks, and even udon noodles. And for some reason, there was an arcade corner in one corner. There were three large cabinets and eight upright cabinets. It seemed to be an arcade corner packed with Chris’s special preferences. I remembered playing a lot on things like this at arcades during my student days in Japan. It was nostalgic.
“Oh, today’s menu is a steak lunch.”
Mr. Hayama happily looked at the board where today’s menu was written. Basically, the menu changes daily and you can’t choose, but it seems they will accommodate you if you have any ingredients or menus you don’t like.
“That’s our chef, Stephen!”
A solidly built Black man emerged from the back of the kitchen. He wasn’t that tall, but the muscularity of his entire body was magnificent. It was to the point where his pure white apron felt out of place.
“I’m Stephen Turner. Just a cook. From mornings to exquisite dinners that make government officials marvel, I can do it all. I heard a cute, wonderful lady was being assigned here, so I was looking forward to it. You’re beautiful, just as much as Chris. Today is another great day.”
From his appearance, I absolutely couldn’t think of him as just a cook, but he seemed to be a friendly person. Cooking for work probably used strength and stamina, but the sense of him being thoroughly trained was extraordinary. Well, he seemed very reliable if anything were to happen. I didn’t have any particular dislikes, so when we talked about my favorite foods and desserts, Stephen went back to the kitchen with a smile.
—Then the three of us had lunch. The steak lunch Stephen made was, as expected, very delicious. The meat was tender, yet the special sauce really brought out the flavor of the meat. The garnished carrots, potatoes, and broccoli were also perfectly seasoned without any omissions.
After eating a certain amount, I tried asking a question. Meals are important, but communication is also important. I wanted to know more about these two.
“—How long have you two been assigned to the UCIA?”
“I haven’t been here long. I’d say it’s been about six months since I was assigned. I manage equipment and medical supplies, but the things we need are increasing every day. We have an abundant budget, but if I don’t procure things quickly, I’ll make the Director angry.”
“It’s been exactly about a year for me. I was also making systems to link this facility’s information systems to VARIS, so…”
“Chris is the next most senior after the Director. Apparently, she usually stays holed up in the system room, busy with tuning and maintaining VARIS, but to be doing ‘Tre-Hunt’ while doing that is very Chris-like, I guess.”
“Ah, ‘Tre-Hunt’ is short for Trading Hunt; it’s about collecting treasure equipment in games! And there are various types of rares—”
Chris happily started speaking quickly. This girl really seemed to love computers and games. But it seemed she was deeply involved with the artificial intelligence system called VARIS…
“—I’m sorry if this is rude, but what did you do before being assigned to the UCIA, Chris?”
“Umm… Before being assigned here, I belonged to the US Space Force Space Delta 6.”
“The US Space Force Sixth Unit. It’s a unit in charge of cyber warfare, and since Chris had been gaining attention as a white hat hacker since she was a student, she apparently finally caved in after repeated scouting.”
After a short pause, Chris opened her mouth.
“—But, it didn’t suit me. It was fun at first, though…”
Chris looked down slightly with a small voice. Did I ask something bad…? For now, it would be better to change the subject immediately.
“—I see. I’m former FBI, and before that, I was with the NYPD.”
“By the way, what department were you in at the NYPD, Himemiya?”
“I was an investigator in the Detective Bureau. I handled various cases, like murders and kidnappings. What about you, Mr. Hayama?”
“I was a military doctor in the Navy. I also used to belong to the Navy SEALs. My workplace was mainly at sea. I’ve known the Director since those days. I’m on land now, so I think it’s a wonderful environment with everything I need.”
A military doctor who had been involved with the Director since then. Was he on the same team as the Director in the Navy SEALs? Considering he was combining medical care with equipment procurement, it was evident he possessed considerable specialized knowledge.
“Ah, by the way, Kamikura was assigned here about three months ago. Though, he doesn’t seem to be in top form yet…”
(—Three months ago, his body isn’t in top form…?)
“Umm, what do you mean?”
“Apparently, Kamikura was in a certain agency before being assigned here. It seems he suffered a serious injury during a mission there… He was reportedly in critical condition, but miraculously recovered and was assigned here…”
“…What certain agency?”
“I tried looking into that too! But I couldn’t grasp any information about Kamikura after his transfer from the FBI… I think the security level is probably extremely high. It might be the UCIA’s predecessor agency, but the Director strongly told me not to pry unnecessarily…”
If even Chris, who seems to possess an overwhelming amount of information, doesn’t know, then the Director must be the only one who might know about Kamikura. If she is telling us not to pry unnecessarily, then he probably wouldn’t answer even if I asked him directly…
More than anything, Kamikura suddenly vanished. Considering that, my coming here might just be an annoyance to him.
The middle school, high school, and college years I spent with Kamikura. Chasing after him with all my might, and the time we spent together in the FBI—.
—There is no way I could forget. Nor do I want to forget.
—No matter what kind of danger awaits me ahead.