The coin left behind for Hide by the Joker suddenly disintegrated into dust and left behind a message that played in hide's mind six times before it stopped.
Tonight, come to northern district. Grid 8. Behind the commercial block and into the factory building. Second floor. 9:50 PM and not a minute late.
Then His own thoughts returned to him, ordinary and unannounced, and the space in his head where the repeating voice had been was just empty again.
Hide stood on the pavement of Area 5 with his palm open. Where the coin had been, there was a faint residue of warmth on his skin and a small scatter of grey powder on the ground that the next breeze immediately took apart and dispersed.
He closed his hand and let out a sigh of relief, then he became aware of a sound behind him.
He turned and saw that Fuu was on the ground.
