View topic - Koshonin (The Negotiator)

It's Reiko's day-off. Amari asks her out on a date and they go to the zoo. Despite that, Reiko doesn't take her eyes off the animals in front of her and gives curt answers to Amari's words. It seems that it was Reiko's request that they come to the zoo.

At that moment, Amari receives an urgent call on his mobile phone for the SIT to prepare to mobilise because a bomb has been planted at some cafe. But why wasn't Reiko contacted? Reiko pretends that she received word from Amari and contacts the investigation team but Kirisawa coldly tells her, "It's your rest day today, isn't it? Go to the nail salon or something."

Katayama and Hasumi are waiting at the cafe for the bomb disposal squad to arrive. Reiko ignores Kirisawa's words and goes to the scene. At the same time, Izuta from the bomb disposal squad appears saying that he happened to be in the vicinity.

According to the tip-off, the bomb is the sort that would explode when vibrated. It is more troublesome than a time bomb, and Izuta and Reiko are equally tense. Izuta is told by Kaai, the leader of his squad, to wait until the main unit arrives, but because they have to get the customers out of the shop, Reiko and Hasumi enter the shop together. Izuta ascertains the bomb's location while Reiko slowly guides each customer out of the shop but Hasumi, who is supporting an elderly customer who had fallen, lands awkwardly and is unable to move.

Kaai and the rest arrive. They immediately start the bomb disposal process. Kaai successfully opens the lid of the bomb but at that moment, the timer device is activated. Nine seconds remain! The timer begins counting down and Kaai's face contorts in horror.

But for some inexplicable reason, the contents of the bomb is sweet potato paste. Instead of being relieved by the criminal's prank, everyone is infuriated. However, Takabayashi, who heads the First Criminal Investigation Division, convenes an informal meeting of the SIT members. Katayama reports that the sweet potato paste was the explosive material but the criminal is familiar with explosives because all the other parts were sophisticatedly made. He then announces that the criminal has planted actual explosive material in the bombs placed at nine telephone boxes in the metropolitan area. There has been no contact from the criminal since then. Reiko tries to read the criminal's psyche to identify his or her profile. Why is it nine seconds? And why is it nine locations?

At that moment, Katayama receives a call notifying him that sweet potato paste had been found at a telephone box. It's just ordinary sweet potato paste. Then, another call comes in about the discovery of sweet potato paste at another telephone box.

After the meeting, Reiko, who is summoned to Takabayashi's room, is told a startling fact. She will be taken off the negotiation team. Takabayashi says Kudo, the news journalist, who had also come into contact with Reiko, had secretly taken photos of Reiko stripped down to her underwear during the seige a few days earlier. He had sent these to the Public Relations Division, and indicated his wish to interview this female negotiator. That isn't how he wants the public to perceive the negotiation team, Takabayashi says. "It shouldn't matter since I joined the negotiation team as mere window dressing." Reiko retorts. At that moment, Takabayashi is notified that the eight sweet potato paste has been found.

Reiko, who visits Mariya in the prison, tells him about a criminal fixated with the number nine. "It cannot be ten, it must be nine. This person is very strong-willed. A thorough perfectionist," Mariya replies.

Reiko, who has once again come back the negotiation team's room, is ordered by Kirisawa to submit a written apology for defying him and going to the scene of the incident on her own during her day off. "Resign if you are dissatisfied," Kirisawa bluntly declares as Reiko is about to rebut.

At that moment, Sumita receives a gift commemorating the first anniversary of Club Kazuko's opening from the female proprietress and returns to the room. He takes the commemorative gift out of the paper bag. It is sweet potato paste! But Sumita remains oblivious and opens the box. Inside the box is an electrode attached to a real bomb. Sumita freezes and looks askance. Then something rings. Reiko reaches into the paper bag, takes out a small transceiver and presses the reply button. A mechanised voice, modified by a voice changer, is heard over the speaker. "Well then, let's begin. This time it's for real."

Reiko pushes the talk button and starts negotiating calmly. At that moment, a telephone in the room rings ... !?