White modern walls, high ceiling with bright lights, shining floor and a single table with two classy armchairs in the middle were the first things one saw while entering the big room. It was almost unbelievable that the room retained perfect whiteness; you couldn’t see a single dirty spot on the floor or cushions. Once in the room, the person could feel a weird atmosphere of this strange place. One of the few people that had an honour to step inside the room described it with these words.

“It’s like seeing a God’s chamber; like standing in front of Him and looking directly in His eyes without any shame. You feel filthy and unworthy of being there. It’s so clean that it’s blinding you. I was paralyzed. I couldn’t make any move without feeling that it’s wrong and yet there were those three people walking freely around the room without any tension or hesitation, like they belonged there. They were like Angels, pure and beautiful, wearing white clothes that seemed to be soft like feathers or snowflakes. I was like a small, tangential human being that somehow got to see Heaven by mistake; I shouldn’t be there and yet they let me in.”

From that time, almost seventy years ago, to this day everyone who knew about its existence called the mysterious white room with the name Heaven...

The man sitting on an elegant chair was clad from his head to toe in white; white suit, white shining shoes, white tie and white dress shirt. He had his leg put over the other while his hands were occupied by a thin folder that the man studied many times during the last two weeks. Information attached to it was top secret and only few people knew about its importance. It wasn’t any battle plan or a way to break into the biggest bank in the world without being noticed but just a simple data of one person. For anyone else it would be clear enough that it might be data of someone famous or powerful but the truth was that the man in white wouldn’t have any use of information about politicians or rich superstars.

No, he didn’t need data like that because he belonged to the organization that always stayed in shadows; the Underground. Even though almost nobody knew about Underground’s existence, it was powerful and the man was its leader. He was proud of his achievements and even more overjoyed with his subordinates who made their job thoroughly and precisely; no mistakes, no troubles, no regrets.

The man smiled remembering all the times he had spent with his people on various missions and in the Underground’s quarters. They were happy times, full of surprises but also hard, exhausting work. He loved his job very much but everything has its end. The man knew it’s the time to find the next leader. The man in white wasn’t old, barely 32, and obviously could work in the organization for at least the next ten years but there were rules that he had to obey. One of them said that after becoming a leader, the said person needs to start looking for a possible replacement among his subordinates. Normally it took more than a decade to find someone who would be good enough to take over the organization but surprisingly this time the man decided on his successor in barely two years.

The man he had chosen caught his attention even before he himself became a leader of the Underground. The truth was that the man in white was ready to give away the leadership to the other man the day of his own inauguration, but again, the rules were forbidding it: ”The future leader of the Underground needs to take part in The Ultimate Game against the future leader of the Aboveground, proving the judge that he/she is worth the title, is ready to take responsibility for everyone who belongs to the organization and is going to always respect the rules keeping the world in perfect harmony."

He had to wait two years for the Aboveground to find its future leader. He couldn’t even hide his surprise when two weeks ago he got a phone call from Aboveground’s current leader. They both found their replacements in a really short time; when they took places as leaders, they were the youngest that ever became ones, but with their choices of successors, they broke the record.

The soft click echoed in the room and the man looked up from his files. One glance was enough for him to close the folder, put it on a small coffee table on his right and smile at the newcomer in invitation. The man in white stood up from his place when a person walked slowly towards him reciprocating a friendly gesture. When they both were standing in front of each other, separated only by a round table with a board on it, they shook each others’ hands and took their respective places on the opposite sides of the table.

The first man eyed his companion. The man who also was clad in white was his biggest rival - the current leader of the Aboveground. They were the same age, became leaders the same day, at the same time joined the organizations and always ended up taking care of the same cases, even their last name was identical; Domoto.

“I can’t say that I’m not surprised by your choice, Koichi-kun.” Tsuyoshi looked at the man while sitting comfortably in a chair.

“I can say the same, Tsuyoshi-kun. No one really thought that you would choose just a 25 years old man as your successor,” the man answered with a small smile and Tsuyoshi sighed.

“Indeed, it’s strange but I can’t think of anyone better. That man has something in him that makes people follow him without a question. He was even able to befriend my most dangerous subordinates and, not to mention, a man that was my second choice for the leader’s place.”

“Is he that good?” Koichi raised his eyebrows in question.

“Yes, he was able to tame our lone wolf that wouldn’t even listen to me but always listens to the man I chose.” Koichi furrowed his eyebrows in confusion but nodded. “What about your choice?”

“Ah, yes… Well, I was watching him for a long time. He’s a good man, passionate about his work and loving justice but he’s also hotheaded. He likes to break the rules but his instinct is amazing. None of his choices were bad, he has a good judgement, especially when it comes to people around him. I had my doubts for a long time but when I saw your replacement, I was sure that my choice is right. They both are perfect, don’t you agree?”

“Yes, they are. When you put them next to each other, you see two opposites. They complement each other in the way no one else ever will.” Koichi laughed at that.

“Haha, that’s true... But they have at least one thing in common.” Koichi smirked at Tsuyoshi’s raised eyebrow. “They’re both pretty stubborn.” Tsuyoshi laughed heartily.

“You’re right, I don’t know anyone more stubborn than those two guys. Let’s hope that they won’t kill each other from the beginning.”

“I don’t think we need to worry for now. They are intelligent men… Well, mine is a little quick-tempered but yours always thinks about his actions, he wouldn’t do anything that might threaten a mission or his companions’ lives,” Koichi said while leaning above the table. He took one of the pawns displayed next to the board with a map of Tokyo drawn on it. He put it on the place named Warehouse T73 and leaned back in his chair, a wide grin playing on his lips.

“Is that so? That puts me more at ease, I think.” Tsuyoshi took another pawn in his hand and eyed it for a while. “Then…” Tsuyoshi moved his pawn next to Koichi’s and put it on the warehouse.

A soft sound of the door opening echoed in the room but the men didn’t even took a glance knowing perfectly well who came into the room.

Tsuyoshi smirked looking at his opponent. “Let’s start our game; The Ultimate Game...”