The character of Sora belongs to Sora M. Jigen and is used only with the permission of her creator/owner. She is not to be used without permission.
Also, this is a newer version of the character, as Sora has made changes to her over the years.
The character of Graham belongs to me.
...
I would like to thank Sora for allowing me to use her character in this story. Thanks! :D
Chapter One
One by one the lights of the three storied office building went off until the rectangular structure was just a dark silhouette standing before the moonless night. The parking lot surrounding it held a handful of cars, all of them there since the night before. Nothing seemed suspicious on the outside, making it that much easier for the person who was trying to get inside.
Dressed from the neck down in black the person ran silently towards the bay doors in the back of the building, where various supplies and machines would be loaded in and out.
Getting to one of the doors the person pressed their body against the wall, quickly turning and ducking down in front of the lock.
The persons gloved fingers moved quickly as they held a small metal tool and worked on opening the lock, which soon clicked open and was removed.
The door was pushed up slowly, leaving a two foot gap the person easily rolled under.
The dark clad intruder found the stairs, running up them two at time until they reached the third floor, cautiously opening the door and escaping the stairwell.
The inside of the building seemed just as quiet as the outside, but it didn't have the same feel. Something was off, the person being more alert the closer they got to their destination.
The main target was a file room that took up almost half of the third floor, inside of it information needed by a certain criminal.
The person snuck through a few offices and ran silently down a short hallway, pressing up against the wall next to the file room entrance.
The door creaked slightly as it was opened, the person freezing and keeping their ears open for any sounds of human life. When none came they continued on, using the diagrams of the room that they had memorized to weave through the tall file cases and bookshelves that were crammed into the space.
Getting to the file case they needed the person reached forward and gripped the metal handle, starting to pull it open when a noise caught their attention.
The low sounds of shoes on carpet stopped, the person glancing over their shoulder at the person who now stood behind them.
"Don't move," a male voice said as a gun clicked. "And if you know what's good for you you'll listen."
The intruder bent their right wrist up and flicked it down, a small flash marble falling into their hand.
As the footsteps came closer the person threw the marble to the floor hard enough for it to activate on the berber carpet.
The man shielded his face as light filled the room. "Damn it," he spat, lifting his gun and firing towards the door, the bullet lodging itself into the wall as the person escaped.
The man gave chase, rushing out of the room and down the hall, through the offices and to the stairwell. He paused as he leaned on the railing, firing at where the footsteps were coming from below.
The person ran and ducked the bullets, barging out of the door to the first floor and scrambling to get to the loading area as another set of footsteps came at them from the other end of the room.
"I've got this," the man with the gun said, the younger man who joined the hunt stopping.
"Tch, yeah," he said, turning and running out towards the front of the building.
The intruder ran towards the bay door, sliding underneath it and not missing a beat as they regained their footing and continued on.
The man chasing rolled under the door, stopping to listen to where the person went, pinpointing the sound and running off.
The intruder ran through the parking lot and jumped at the chain link fence surrounding the property, climbing over it and hopping down to the sidewalk below, continuing across the street and into an alley.
They zig-zagged between the smaller commercial structures, relaxing when the footsteps from behind were no longer there, slowing to a jog and checking behind them.
The person let out a gasp as their arm was suddenly grabbed by a man standing in the shadows.
"I told you not to move," the man growled as he threw the person against the wall.
The intruder stared at the man, who wore an expensive black suit with a gray dress shirt and a black tie. A neatly trimmed beard of a couple inches long covered part of his face, the black fedora on his head casting a shadow over his eyes, shoulder length black hair flowing out from underneath the hat.
The man looked shocked, the light from a nearby street lamp filtering in through the alley and allowing him to see the intruder more clearly.
"You're a woman?" he said as he stared into her eyes, one aquamarine and the other teal, her medium length red hair tied up into a bun, while the skin that was showing was ivory in color. She had a curvy figure, something that made the man wonder why he never noticed it before. Even in the dark it wasn't hard to miss.
The woman narrowed her eyes at him before driving her heel into the top of his foot.
The man yelled out in pain, watching as the woman ran off.
"Move!" the younger man from before ordered, shoving the bearded man away as he ran past him.
The younger man turned the corner, watching as the woman quickly got onto a motorcycle and sped off, the man clutching his sawed-off shotgun and firing off a wasted shell.
...
"So, how'd it go?" Lupin asked as he walked into his hideout, wandering up to the couch where Sora sat. "Uh oh," he said, Sora sitting quietly and staring down with a serious look on her face. She had changed since she got back, wearing a white t-shirt and black capri pants and sneakers.
"I don't want to talk about it," she said.
"Ah, come on, Sora. So you messed up. It comes with the territory. No need to mope about it."
"I'm not moping," she said in anger, not bothering to even look at him, knowing he'd have that stupid grin on his face.
"Well, whatever you call it," he shrugged. "I see you didn't take your guns with you."
"You said I wouldn't need them, although they would have come in handy."
Lupin groaned. "Seriously, Sora, don't listen to me. I thought you would have learned after the last time. Always take your weapons with you. You never know who you'll run into."
Sora was quiet as she glared off.
"Well, I've got a couple more places to go, so I'll just leave you here to do whatever it is you're doing."
Sora sighed, glancing up at him as he left.
Lupin has always treated her like a sister ever since the two met and he took her in. And to Sora he was like a big brother, always giving her advice, comforting her when she needed it and teasing her when he felt she needed to be in a lighter mood.
As she thought back to their times together a small smile formed on her lips, one which faded when she ran that nights scenario over again in her head.
"How did I screw up? He was right behind me until the end. How did he even get around that building so fast?"
She leaned her head back and sighed.
"He saw me," she said in a sorrowful tone as she looked off to the side. "How could I let that happen? Ah screw it," she said as she got to her feet. "I need a drink."
She grabbed the holster she had draped over the back of the couch and put it on, grabbing the black jacket that had been sitting next to it and putting that on.
As she walked towards the door she grabbed one of her weapons, a GP100 357 Revolver, that sat on a small table against the wall and placed it in the holster.
Readily prepared for a night out she left.
...
The man in the fedora stood in front of a large desk, a man with greased back black hair behind it sitting comfortably in his leather chair while his fingers clutched a half spent cigar. He was wearing a navy blue suit that went well with the matching tie and gray blue dress shirt that completed his attire.
"Jigen," the cigar smoking man said as he stared down at some papers spread out before him. "Anything on our friend from last night?"
"Nothing," Jigen answered. "He could be from any organization."
"Hmmm," the man thought as he puffed his cigar. "Graham!" he yelled.
Jigen glanced back as the younger man from the night before walked in.
He was wearing black dress slacks and a blue dress shirt with a black tie. His hair was a few inches long and combed down over his head, his bangs parted and partially covering his eyes, which were blue.
"Yeah," he said, plopping down in the chair facing the desk and leaning back, an annoying grin on his face.
"You're working with Jigen to find whoever it was that paid us a visit last night."
"Yeah, sure, shouldn't be that hard to find," Graham shrugged.
"I'm glad you're so confident," the man grinned. "Now, get your asses out there and do your job without failing me this time." His grin faded as he glared at the both of them.
"Whatever," Graham sighed, getting up and following Jigen out of the office.
The grin that had been on Graham's face faded quickly. "You had her," he said to Jigen as they both got on the elevator.
Jigen made no reply.
"You had her and you let her go," Graham said in a raised voice, a slight accent now present.
"I didn't let her go," Jigen said as he turned and faced down his new partner. "She escaped."
"Escaped my ass! I saw the whole thing!"
"Well, you saw wrong. And lose that fucking accent while you're at it. You're dumb enough as it is without speaking Cockney."
Graham grinned and stepped back. "Don't get me mad and you won't have to hear it," he said, the accent now gone.
"I'll remember that," Jigen muttered, walking off the elevator as the doors opened.
"Be sure you do," Graham said under his breath, glaring at Jigen as he went his own way.
...
"Hey," Lupin said, nudging Sora as she slept on the couch. "Sora," he said a little louder as he pulled her until she fell onto the floor.
Sora awoke with a startle. She gasped and looked around, her eyes finally settling on a grinning Lupin.
"It's almost two in the afternoon," he told her with a laugh.
She glared at him and mumbled something under her breath, climbing back onto the couch and laying on her back.
"I need you to get dressed and go to a couple places for me," Lupin said as he tossed a folded up piece of paper on her stomach.
"Where are you going?" Sora wondered as she stared in confusion at the paper, four addresses and names written eloquently on it.
"Out," Lupin smiled, putting his jacket on and walking out the door.
Sora sighed, her arm holding the paper falling back to her stomach as her eyes gazed off into the nothingness of the ceiling.
...
As evening came Jigen and Graham took to the streets, each going from place to place to see if anyone knew anything about Sora.
Graham always seemed to visit the rowdy bars, never getting anything useful but able to release his anger and stress with a few fights.
Jigen, on the other hand, went to the clubs and bars the upper class would frequent, sometimes staying longer than usual to enjoy his drink and the bands.
It was getting late into the night, neither having any luck.
"Bloody hell," Graham muttered as he ran a hand through his hair. "You'd think someone like her would be easy to figure out." He sighed and downed his drink, setting the glass on the bar and walking out.
Running out of places to go he decided to go to the small jazz club on the main drag to relax for the night.
At that same club walked Jigen, entering the establishment and walking to the bar. He described Sora to the bartender, his voice low and hidden from others thanks to the music that was playing.
The bartender nodded and pointed to a table.
Jigen looked back, shocked to see the woman who almost broke his foot sitting with a tall slender glass in her hand, her eyes staring at the band on stage.
Jigen glanced around, taking note of the security guards. Getting a visual layout he walked towards her. "Hey," he said as he stood next to her table.
She glanced back at him and then at the band, freezing before slowly turning and looking at him, a shocked expression on her face.
She quickly turned and started to run off, her arm grabbed before she could escape. "Let go of me," she growled, reaching for a drink on the table closest to her and throwing it at him.
Jigen hit it aside, the sound of shattering glass causing others to look their way. "Knock it off," Jigen ordered her, his voice and expression showing her that he wasn't in the mood.
"Let go of me and I will," she ordered.
"Is there a problem here?" one of the security guards said as he glared down at Jigen.
"No," Jigen said.
"Yes," Sora said at the same time.
"Look, I'm not out to get you, okay? I just want to talk!"
Sora stopped struggling and glared at him.
"Okay?" he asked as he loosened his grip on her.
She yanked her arm away from him. "There's no problem," she told the guard, who gave one last look at Jigen before walking off.
The two sat down at a table, Sora happy she had her gun with her this time.
"Who are you working for and what do they want out of Fucelli?" Jigen asked as he glared at her.
Sora didn't answer, looking around the club as if she didn't hear him.
"Then you want me to drag you back to him?" Jigen growled.
"Why do you work for that man?" Sora asked, glaring across the table at Jigen.
Jigen narrowed his eyes.
"I'm not telling you anything," Sora scoffed. "Glare at me all you want. I don't care."
"It's a job and it pays well," Jigen answered.
"Take your hat off," Sora said.
"Why?"
"So I can see your eyes."
"Why do you need to see them?"
"So I can read you better."
"No," Jigen said. "Tell me who you work for."
"And how do you know I don't work for myself?" she asked with a smirk.
Jigen leaned back in his chair and laughed. "You're not good enough to be on your own. Don't think I'm just another idiot you can manipulate."
Sora sat back and stared at him, the smirk still on her face. "Fine. You thirsty?" she asked, knowing the two would be involved in their little game for a while.
The door to the place opened, Graham standing just inside and scanning the room. When he got to the table with Sora and Jigen he tensed up, watching as the waiter came and gave them their drinks.
"Bloody fucking hell..." he said through clenched teeth, quickly turning and storming out.
