Absolute Zero: Special Investigation Unit (絶対零度)

Sorry to bring you out so late.

That's fine. We're running out of time.

Have a good night.

Thanks.

- You... Asai-san! - Security!

Police! Please call the police!

- It's him! - Wait!

Ryo-kun!

Ryo-kun! Time to go. What are you doing?

Dad, what's this?

Hmm?

Ow! I overslept again.

- Ah! It's the 14th today! - Yeah.

Ah! I forgot! Yesterday was my birthday!

You're 26 then.

Yep. I was working on some reports and completely forgot.

- Wonder if the boss forgot too. - Huh?

He usually tries to sneak in

a present when he sees people working hard.

I got these reading glasses.

I got Italian sunglasses.

I got an amusement park ticket for my kid.

I got the latest FBI investigations book.

Ah, I didn't get anything.

Ah, how sad!

Ah, boss. Yesterday I...

Yesterday was 12 months since

the murder of a lecturer at Tokyo Science and Tech University.

We've received new information. We're reinvestigating.

While fleeing the scene of the crime, the suspect fell down the stairs and died.

Correct.

The suspect, Hirota Takuma, came in contact with the victim at the bar he worked at.

The victim, Asai Masafumi, a lecturer at Tokyo's University of Technology

and a leader in genetic engineering had worked in the lab of Professor Sonoda.

Leader in genetic engineering?

It seems Hirota

was seen arguing at the bar where he worked with Asai,

just a few days before the murder.

No weapon was found at the scene but

circumstantial evidence and the resulting investigation put him in the picture for the murder.

But Hirota died as well and the case was left unsolved.

The weapon was found in the Tamagawa river yesterday.

A DNA test put the blood on it as the victim's.

So there's a chance Hirota didn't do it?

Why?

How could someone who died at the scene

travel 30 minutes to the river and dispose of the weapon?

Ah...

So, there's an accomplice or a real criminal at least.

It is unclear as to why Asai was visited by Hirota.

So let's use that as a start for the re-investigation.

Tsukamoto and Takamine, talk to those who knew Hirota.

Fukuzawa and Sakuragi,

talk to people at the university. Do a thorough investigation.

- Yes. - Yes.

Boss. Actually, yesterday...

I remember. I asked you to get those reports completely finished up, right?

Yeah, I did but...

Okay. Do a good investigation then.

Yes.

Zettai Reido (Absolute Zero) - Case 10

Hmm, university looks like fun.

First we'll visit Professor Sonoda's laboratory and ask around there.

Okay.

Hey, what department are you in?

Want to come to go-kon*?

- Eh? - Give me your number.

A go-kon? Okay!

Hey! What are you doing?

Ah, I'm sorry!

- What are you doing? - I'm sorry.

Ah! You can't just apologize this away!

How are you going to make up for it?

I'm really sorry.

Are you a university student?

No, I don't go to University.

That makes sense.

An uneducated person like you,

you have no idea how important something like this is.

So going to university makes you this arrogant?

- What's that now? - Sir!

I'm very sorry. This is on us.

I don't care about that!

- This place hires idiots? - Hey!

- Stop it Hirota! - And violence right away? Of course.

Just say it again, I'll kill you!

And now assault.

I'll destroy you. I'll make sure this place is closed.

Sir! I'm very sorry!

Seriously, we'll take care of everything.

So it seems Hirota got in trouble and ended up in reform school.

You took guardianship of him after that?

He really wanted to clean up his act

and worked hard as a bartender.

So Hirota couldn't forgive Asai and headed for the lab then?

I think he couldn't handle being called an idiot.

But, I really do hope there's some way to prove he didn't murder him.

What is this Asai-san?

Your paper is a copy of what I wrote.

Research themes blend together, you know.

- It's just a coincidence. - Don't act stupid.

You stole it right from my laptop.

You have evidence?

I'll sue you for libel then!

Well, I don't want to speak ill of the dead but...

Asai-san was a terrible researcher.

And I don't know how but

he always found out people's secrets. It was a terrible thing.

Secrets?

Ah, well, none really that important.

Saegusa-san...

Right after the accident,

you were promoted from Assistant Teacher to Lecturer, then to Associate Professor.

- Yeah. - Excuse me,

what's the difference between Assistant Teacher and Associate Professor?

It denotes your status in the research labs.

Professor, Associate Professor, Lecturer, Assistant Teacher.

So then, when Asai-san died, so did your rival for your research paper.

So then, you think I had something to do with this?

I'm just talking about possibilities.

Ah, Professor Sonoda.

The police have

reopened Asai-sensei's murder case and are here asking about it.

Professor, I'll speak with them.

Okay.

I'll take my leave here too.

Sakuragi, talk to her.

I'm going to follow this guy just a bit.

Huh? Uh, well...

I'm Higuchi.

A year ago I was a researcher,

and lecturer Asai-san my senior.

Though, we didn't have much contact with each other.

And you are now?

I'm an Assistant Teacher and now I work here in this lab.

I see.

And then...

If there's anything you want to know, I'll tell you.

Well... okay, can I ask something then not about the case?

- Not about the case? - It's been bothering me.

What is genetic engineering?

Sakuragi-san, you're not quite like the normal detective.

Ah, sorry. I just wanted to know what you were researching.

I'm not really that smart, so I don't get it all.

You shouldn't speak so poorly of yourself.

We all have unlimited potential.

Ah, yes.

Genes are the blueprint for life.

Genetic engineering, is the modification of these blueprints in some way.

And we may discover something new along the way.

- Something new? - Yeah, for example,

Professor Sonoda and I

have been studying the genetic make-up of immune cells to combat cancer.

With just a little more time we'll have some results.

And when you do?

We may have an actual cure for cancer.

Wow!

It seems tough, but this is all to help people, huh?

Just like a detective.

Huh?

It seems tough, but you do help people out too.

I see.

So, how's the investigation going?

There's a high chance that the murder weapon

was wrapped in this towel and thrown just a little bit upstream.

It's been a year but I'll see if there are any eyewitness reports.

- I'll put in the jurisdiction requests. - Thanks.

Takamine, what do you think of the criminal profile?

It seems strange for Hirota to be involved,

either as the criminal, or as an accomplice.

And of course, why was only the murder weapon hidden?

If only we knew why Hirota visited Asai in the first place

maybe we could find something.

Fukuzawa, how was the university?

I don't know how, but it seems Asai knew secret's about everyone's daily lives.

Secrets?

Somehow he knew that Saegusa had asked Assistant Teacher

Higuchi out to dinner and she'd refused.

Maybe she spread the rumor herself?

Higuchi-san isn't someone who would do that.

Why are you sticking up for her?

What did you find out about Asai?

Probably caused trouble in the laboratory.

A wiretap? Or a secret camera?

Nothing like that in his personal effects. But,

he had a receipt for a large purchase of memory chips.

Maybe he used them to hold data?

Maybe they're still at the lab?

- I think we should look. - Okay.

- Excuse us. - Excuse us.

Professor Sonoda, it's not only the Dean, but other departments who are angry as well.

- We should apologize. - Leave it alone.

We're from Investigations.

We asked to conduct a search of this laboratory commencing at 1 o'clock.

At 1 p.m.?

Ah...

- Please. - Thank you very much.

Thank you.

What's going on?

We have a faculty meeting today,