A/N- Hey! So if you read the other AN on the other Black in Time fic, then you'll know that this is old, and terribly written. Also, it's very unfinished. :( Sigh. This would be the predessor of Abstract Past, but I wrote it back when I lived off of DTB so all the characters are much more accurate. I haven't posted it since now because of the Amnesia theme, but then I've realized: This is fanfiction. We've got different takes on the same idea so why not share?

Besides, what good is a dusty folder? I hope you like it!

Hei and ME

CH1

Misaki Kirihara walked briskly to Hourai's office. She had been called down as soon as she had entered for work that morning.

She had just set all her piles of paperwork on various contractor cases, when Saitou came bursting in to tell her that Hourai needed her immediately. He mentioned something about it having to do with a big leap in her career. Saitou had quickly left, though, on some important errand of Hourai's. Whatever it was, Misaki was prepared. Or so she thought.

Hei.

Huang buried his face into his newspaper while smoking on his cigar. Hei sat on the bench behind Huang's to not attract attention. Hei had a new mission.

"The Syndicate wants to train this woman, Misaki Kirihara, for case work later. She's already started under Nishajima and Hourai, but they haven't exactly broken the news to her that she's working for the Syndicate. To progress her training faster, they got the Syndicate's permission to use you. Unfortunately, this requires ME technology." Hei frowned, this couldn't be good. Anything with ME, Misaki, and the Syndicate together was never good.

"How?" Hei asked in a monotone. He had to pretend to be emotionless, like this was just another mission for the Syndicate, but something about Misaki made him a little on edge. He didn't want Misaki to be wrapped up in the Syndicate, or him. A little late now since she was knee deep in both.

"They have obtained a new form of ME that allows you to remember everything forgotten after a week. PANDORA has just finalized it, and our spies have smuggled it out. This leaves you a little disadvantaged, since it will be easier to deceive you while you're in that state. However, a few months worth of memory will hardly stop the Reaper. Am I right? Anyway, it's not like we have a choice." Huang ended heartlessly. He hated contractors, and dolls. They were inhuman, killing machines. What did he care if Hei lost a life worth of memories as long as he could still work.

"What do I have to do?"

Misaki.

Misaki approached the door, paused in anticipation, and knocked twice before letting herself in. Already inside were Nishajima and Hourai who both sat in the leather chairs. She hadn't expected someone so high up to be there.

"Sit." Nishajima invited her, pointing to the chair across from him and Hourai. This wasn't going to be a normal meeting; she could tell.

"Kirihara," Hourai began, "Lately, you've been ill equipped to deal with certain situations. I'm referring to what happened at Alice Wang's party. Fortunately we have a new lead. An edge you might say, that can help us." An edge? What was he talking about? Did they obtain an item or info from the gate? If they did, she was hardly the one to notify.

"Yes, we believe that this new, er, element will be of great use to us..." So darn elusive, thought Misaki. "Bring him in." Nishajima ordered. What? A person?

Though the men were both in on the Syndicate and Hei, they had to create a situation in which Misaki would learn from Hei. And one in which they were clearly in charge. The solution? ME or at least a modified version of it.

"You'll be needing this." Hourai said quickly passing a syringe to her. Looking down at the needle in her hand she immediately recognized the light blue substance, ME. Puzzled, she looked back up just in time as Kouno and Saitou entered holding- holding the Black Reaper?! More like a sedated one. Misaki's jaw dropped flat open. What? How? Hourai and Nishajima made to get up; as did Kouno and Saitou once they placed the Reaper cautiously onto the chair, as if he might electrocute them to death.

They seemed to be saying "you know what to do."

Misaki looked back at BK-201, surprise written all over her face. How did they manage to capture him? She had tried for many weeks now without so much of a hint of success! He must have slipped up, she thought. Yet, something didn't add up.

Hei had been thoroughly prepped: Don't tell anything to the officer that he'd later regret, and just help her along on missions. Easy, simple, anything but. The ME would only erase the memories he's had during the past month or so, and he'd get them back within the week. Nothing to worry about...

Misaki put the ME and BK-201 together. They had captured the most dangerous contractor, and now wanted to alter his memory so that he worked for them?! She understood the benefits (the many benefits) of using ME, but it bothered her conscience just a hint that the man who saved her life on numerous occasions should be forced into working with her. It was manipulative, and she was a police officer who worked for justice! However she only felt a hint guilty, as she decidedly got up from her seat to crouch next to BK-201. He appeared to be sedated or at least appeared calm on the surface. What was he thinking now? Misaki wanted to know. They were alone, he was disadvantaged. Should she take the mask off? She reached out for it, but stopped herself. No! She couldn't betray him that much. She owed nothing to this killer, but he had saved her, and she was going to take away his memories. He was in handcuffs in police headquarters. Contractors were rational, he lost, and she could do it. Abruptly Hei raised his head with his mask. Alarmed, Misaki waited to see what he would do.

"Misaki," Hei said, he had to warn her. No matter what, he had to. "No matter what I say or do, I'm dangerous. Trust your instincts." The words November 11 and Li had told her came ringing back to her. She froze reliving the moments she had spent with both of the charming men. Was he- warning her? She looked down one last time at the Reaper before she plunged ME into his wrist.

Hei.

Hei's vision slowly blacked out, like a leaf in water. Side effects he had been warned about, but they still weren't that pleasant. He was scared that Misaki would take his mask off, and find out that he was the boy she knew as Li Shengshun, but Huang had told him that his identity could be compromised for the sake of the mission. Even so, he enjoyed the friendship he had with her, and was sure he'd never get it back once she found out the truth. His memories, one by one, began to disappear behind a type of mental wall in Hei's mind. No Amber, no Mao, no Huang. But he funnily remembered Yin, Misaki, Hourai, Nishajima, Mai and Shinoda. It really was the Syndicate's product, and not PANDORA's if they managed to create ME that worked so slyly like that.

When Hei's ability to sense things returned, he noticed that the handcuffs were gone from around his wrists, and Misaki, Hourai, Kanami, and the rest of Section 4 were in the room watching him. He kept his body still, instinct told him to wait. You've forgotten everyone, remember? He had to remind himself. It wasn't hard since he only remembered the handful. Memories were still filing behind the wall as his awareness grew. Soon, the only things he remembered was the mission (only vaguely), and the war in South America. All his skills remained intact; they were so deeply ingrained within him that he'd never forget.

Confusion dazed Hei when he sensed a type of tension in the room. Automatically, he knew he was the source of it. Why? He was the Reaper, yes, he remembered that much. The world of dolls and contractors were not forgotten from him. It was only a month's worth of memory after all. However, that didn't explain how he got there, or why. Who were these people anyway? Slowly, he started to forget who the people in the room were, even Misaki. Suddenly, Hourai started speaking.

"Welcome everyone! I'm here to introduce you to our new colleague! The Reaper was detained a few hours ago, there's no need to worry. ME was used. I doubt he even remembers any of you." Hourai explained to the crowd. They all nodded like that cleared everything up. The tension decreased. God, Hei was so confused. Apparently these people had captured him, and erased some memories. Panicked, he began sifting through his mind for memories of Pai, or anything else of use or importance. Thankfully, they were all still there, but strangely, he couldn't remember what he ate last night, or where he was for that matter. Hourai spoke in Japanese, so that's where he probably was. Good thing he was fluent in Japanese, but that might've been why he came to Japan in the first place. The last thing he remembered was a silver haired girl, no a doll, and a talking black cat? He was going crazy! Why were they in his mind? But something about that memory made him feel at ease. The word 'partners' floated to the forefront of his mind. Yes, they were his allies, and he was on a mission.

"You plan to use him? How?" Kanami asked in awe, pulling Hei back into the present. Kanami's voice was disbelieving, and a little cautious. She had right to be, the Reaper was anything to feel fine about.

Nishajima nodded.

"Is he going to be in Section 4?" Saitou asked curious. All of Section 4 looked at Hourai. They figured as much, but it was still not real until he said it.

"Yes." Hourai answered abruptly. "Now that's enough questions, it appears our new colleague has recovered." Hourai said, making everyone snap their attention back to Hei. The tension in the room multiplied ten-fold. With all eyes on him, Hei felt obligated to do something. Hei stood up slowly in his black trench coat, earning a gasp from Kouno and Saitou.

"Welcome BK-201. My name is Nishajima and this is Hourai." Nishajima formally introduced them. "That is Misaki Kirihara, chief of Section 4." He gestured to the rest of them implying that they were Section 4. Kanami wasn't exactly in Section 4, but in Astronomic's, but she worked so closely with Misaki and her team anyway, she had been invited to join.

Hei nodded that he understood. Introductions were nice, it gained him some information.

"Why am I here?" Hei asked simply, his voice muffled under his mask, truthfully his sole purpose was slipping away behind the wall. Hourai acknowledged him thinking it through. It was a reasonable question for him to ask if he were to play the part correctly.

"You work for Section 4, now. You were on your way over here for your new job when you had a major concussion, so we brought you up here. Care to introduce yourself?" Nishajima lied smoothly. The crowd was surprised at the farfetched story he told, but Hei got another meaning out of it: This man was a professional who lied every other sentence. Hei knew that it was far from the true answer, but wasn't fool enough to try and wrestle it out yet.

Introduce himself- should he say Hei? Would that be something he'd regret later? Hei briefly made eye contact with the 2 authorities. From the way they lied, and acted, Hei knew that they had something to do with his predicament. They nodded slightly, missed by everyone. I guess I can then, Hei decided.

"My name's Hei. It's nice to meet you all." Hei said in a voice in between the Reaper's threatening one and Li's normal more polite one. He then bowed in greeting. It was his new job after all. He'd get the answers he needed sooner or later; he wasn't the Black Reaper for nothing.

A/N- Thanks for reading! This will have three chapters, but...if you're interested in adopting it then by all means have at it :) (just tell me first? Please?)

Thanks and please review!

BT