AN: This is my first modern alternative universe fic, so please be nice in your reviews. And since this is set in modern times, there will be no use of swords, so I switched to guns, pistols and martial arts. I mean, how is one to carry a sakabatou without so many people noticing? And besides, swords seem a little outdated now. Misao will still be using her kunais, don't worry, since I feel that knives could still be used. Some places here in this fic like the buildings might not even exist in Japan, so please pardon me. Although I live in the same continent as Japan, I have not been there yet.

There will be a slight change on Kenshin's speech pattern since -dono is not used anymore these days. So I just switched to -san.

Please don't forget to R&R after reading, and if you have any questions I'll be delighted to answer them. And by the way, this is a test fic only. It'll depend upon your reviews if I'll still continue this or not. So here are two chapters for your evaluation. Please be nice in the reviews! :)

Bleed

Chapter 1

Executive Towers was one of the highest buildings in the street with twenty-two floors and sleek glass walls. Top companies have their branches here, and many people go in and out of this building every day. There were also a few who lived here, occupying the lower floors of the building. The top floors were private, and only authorized people could enter. It was actually the headquarters of the Underground, a secret organization under the Police department very people knew of.

The top floor was a penthouse, and it was from here that Sagara Sanosuke surveyed the city below him with his binoculars. He stood there by the glass window, watching a few people down below. In the same room with him were his lifelong friends, some sitting on the sofa while the others lounging in the bar. Kaoru was in the latter, talking with someone on her cellular, along with Misao who was trying to whip up an experiment. Aoshi was sitting in the living room with Kenshin, the two of them watching TV, while Megumi was on the computer checking her mail.

Then, Sano laughed. His friends looked at him, all except Kaoru who was busy on the phone, with puzzled expressions on their faces.

"Why'd you laugh?" Misao asked, shaking her drink.

Sano laughed a bit more, and then replied, "Those amateurs below there don't know how to catch a criminal. And to think some were 5-6 years older than I am. They ought to be more experienced."

"You heard what Shishou said," Kenshin spoke. "They weren't trained as much as we were, that's why they're letting them out more often than us."

"And it'd be a waste of time," Aoshi added, switching the channel.

"Hai, hai, I'll be home before ten. Promise, swear, I will, okay? Bye," was Kaoru's voice from the other side of the room. She hung up and sighed, relieved that her phone call was finally over.

"Who was that?" Sano asked. "Your old geezer?"

"My old geezer of an uncle, Japan's police chief, yes, that was him," Kaoru replied tucking her phone back in her bag. "Saitou Hajime. He's made me promise that I come home before ten, so no gimmick for me today."

"Man Kaoru, it's a good thing I didn't get stuck with a guardian like him after my parents died," Misao said, taking a sip from her experiment. She made a face and then threw it in the sink. "Good thing Okina isn't as strict as Saitou-san. I thought he called to give you an order or something."

"60% of his calls are to check on me, while the remaining 40% are to give me orders like, 'Go to the grocery and pick up this' or , 'Pick up your aunt from this place' or, 'Study your lessons. No gimmick tonight'," Kaoru sighed. "Demo, I appreciate his concern. It was kind enough for him to take me in since oto-chan died two years ago."

"Shishou's quite like that too," Kenshin said. "But he's not over-protective. He's just strict. He wants every rule to be followed to the letter. It's been like that ever since my parents died when I was two and I've grown used to it. At least he puts up with me. Joining this group was part of my thanks for him bringing me up."

"Guess so," Misao replied. She took out her handheld and checked her reminders. She gasped. "I forgot to finish my thesis! It's due in three days!"

"It's just three days," Sano said.

"Here Misao," Megumi said, standing from her place in the PC. "You can use the PC if you like."

"Arigato gozaimasu!" Misao exclaimed and hastily opened her files.

Sano returned to the window and picked up his binoculars. The amateurs were still in the streets rounding up the criminal they had been chasing for over half an hour. He shook his head.

"They'll need extensive training," Sano muttered to himself.

Then the house phone rang. Kaoru picked up the one by the bar and answered it.

"Yep," she said.

"Kamiya, Saitou called you yet?" came the voice from the other line.

Kaoru made a face while replying, "Yep, he just did Hiko-san. Why? Something wrong?"

At this the others turned to her, watching intently.

"Nothing. Just wanted to know. All of you get down here to my office now. We've got a new case," Hiko replied.

"Oh... okay... Sure, we'll be there in a jiffy," Kaoru said.

And they hung up. She jumped from her seat and headed for the door saying, "C'mon guys, we've got a new case."

As the others went out the door, Misao shot a worried glance at the computer moaning, "My thesis... my thesis... my thesis..."

Hiko sat poring over a series of folders containing the files of his members. The folders were color coded according to the level of competence each one had. The highest color, white, only had six of its kind, while the rest were a series of blue, red, green and yellow. He had the white separated from the others, and had been carefully looking over them the past twenty minutes. After reviewing them, he nodded to himself. Yes, these six were perfect for the job, however, the situation was indeed dangerous. He didn't want to sacrifice some college students just for the government's selfish needs. He looked at the door. Any second now they would be arriving, and he would have to introduce them to the new case. Little by little, he told himself. He shouldn't rush, or else they'd have second thoughts.

He heard a ding from outside. The elevator was in, and in a few seconds he had the six of them walking through his office and seating themselves in the sofas in front of his desk. They all nodded at him in greeting, and he stood up.

"Okay, roll call. Say 'present' if you're here," Hiko announced, holding pen and paper.

They laughed at him but he continued anyway.

"Himura," he began.

"Present," Kenshin chuckled.

And he put a check on Kenshin's name.

"Kamiya."

"Present."

"Makimachi."

"Here!"

"I said 'present', not 'here'," Hiko scolded.

"Present!" she exclaimed again.

"Sagara."

"Present."

"Shinomori."

"Present," Aoshi breathed. Hiko had to lean in closer to hear what he said.

"And Takani."

"Present."

"Alright, since you're all here, let me brief you on your next assignment," Hiko said. He picked up a remote from his desk and pressed a button that the wall behind his chair parted to reveal a large screen. He pressed another button, and something started playing.

A picture of a man with spiky blond hair flashed before them, as well as his bio data from his kindergarten school to his favorite food.

"Sawagejou Chou," Hiko began. "Gambler who runs his own casino and hotel. He likes pretty girls and often flirts, but there were never reports of him actually touching them. He just likes to play."

"Doesn't seem like it," Megumi remarked. "What do you want us to do with him?"

"It is rumored that he's into smuggling," Hiko continued. "There has been a recent confiscation of illegal firearms at the airport, and there are links leading to him. We also have a suspicion that he's working under someone higher and more powerful, and he is just a middle man between the smugglers and the boss."

"Who's the boss?" Kenshin asked.

"I won't tell you just yet. If you can find out who he is, then good. If not, I'll tell you after your next case," Hiko replied. "So I'd like you to visit his casino and see what you can dig up. You're going to have to visit the main branch, since that's where everything happens. Of course, no minors allowed." At that he eyed Misao & Kaoru, who were both just seventeen.

"Mou! I'm turning eighteen in three days!" Kaoru exclaimed.

"And my thesis is due in three days," Misao moaned. "My birthday isn't in three months."

"So I suggest the two of you focus first on your studies and leave it to the four of us," Megumi said. "Aren't you guys relieved that you won't have a hard time keeping your eyes open in school the next day?"

"Demo..."

"I don't think it's going to be fun anyway," Hiko cut in. "And don't whine. If you do I'll tell you to your uncle."

At this Kaoru's eyes turned slits and she crossed her arms over her tummy.

"Mou!" was all she said.

"So that's settled then," Hiko said. "Baka deshi, Sano, Aoshi and Megumi will go to the casino the night after tomorrow, Thursday, and see what info you can get."

"But that's my birthday!" Kaoru complained. "We're going to celebrate."

"Sacrifice Kaoru. You're going to have to celebrate without them."

"Wait!" Kaoru exclaimed. All eyes turned to her. "I'm eighteen by then anyway. Which means I can go!"

Hiko fidgeted.

"I can go, ne Hiko-san?" Kaoru asked. "I don't have any test on that day anyway. Just tell uncle that you assigned me to this mission..."

"The problem is..."

"What?"

"Saitou gave specific orders that you should not be allowed to go on that particular mission."

Kaoru stared at him for a minute before exclaiming, "Mou!"

It was eight pm, and already dark. Megumi was sitting in a bar beside Sano, sipping a Margarita. Kenshin and Aoshi were there too. The four of them decided to go out for a drink before going home, and as much as Kaoru & Misao wanted to come, the circumstances would not permit them. In Kaoru's case, Saitou would kill her if she was seen in a bar even with trusted company, and in Misao's case, she had a thesis to finish. Megumi lifted her glass to her lips and took a sip. Sano slipped an arm around her shoulders and started talking.

"We have to strategize about Thursday," Sano said.

"Looks like you're head's working good this time," Megumi remarked. "The wonders that a drink does in you."

Sano just smirked, and Kenshin spoke.

"We go in, and then only one of us should break in," he said. "The others will just go decoy."

"Who do you recommend?" Sano asked.

"Megumi," Aoshi replied. "They have a tendency to be more lax when it comes to women."

"Just a little dressing up would do the trick," Megumi said quite haughtily with a whip of her hair. "Men are easy to seduce."

Kenshin shot a grave look at her which she didn't notice, and then said, "Alright. So you go break in. You're going to have to make it quick, Megumi-san, unless you want anyone to notice you."

"Hai, I will."

"So that settles it. But we have to meet again to discuss our positions," Aoshi said. "So we'll meet here again, after school tomorrow."

School at the University of Tokyo the next day wasn't very nice. Kaoru's professor assigned a five page essay on a topic they had finished discussing which was due next Monday, and Kaoru had no idea on where to begin. For one thing she didn't understand her professor's lecture, and she was short on references, meaning she'd have to stay longer at the library until she finished the essay. Misao was worked tirelessly on her thesis, frequently dialing Megumi's number since Kaoru was too busy to be of some help. Megumi meanwhile had enough to juggle on her own, one of which a presentation she was to deliver on Friday. Kenshin found that he had almost flunked the pop test his professor gave a few days ago, meaning he had to study to make up for the grade. Sano's basketball coach had scolded him for lack of concentration, while Aoshi got pissed with the students he was tutoring.

And to top everything, the finals were next week.

They all met up at the twenty-first floor in Executive Towers where they trained every Wednesday and Friday afternoon to go training. Misao aimlessly shot her kunais at the target, her head still in her thesis. And like her, the rest had their heads somewhere else. Sano effortlessly blocked Kaoru's weak kicks, his mind on his ill performance and hers on her essay. Kenshin was just too tired to even hold the gun properly while Megumi's eyes just couldn't see the target properly. And Aoshi was just too tense to even keep his hands still.

This performance of theirs fueled Hiko's anger by the second. Suddenly he yelled for all of them to stop.

"What's going on with all of you?" he asked, furious. "Why couldn't you just concentrate! Baka deshi, are you really baka? You can't even hold the gun properly! Makimachi, Takani, are the both of you blind? Why can't you aim properly?! Kamiya, such weak kicks! You're just going to tickle your enemy! Sagara, why aren't you telling Kamiya about her kicks? And Shinomori, it's not like you to be so tense. What is it with all of you?!"

The six of them looked away from Hiko. It was Kenshin who had the nerve to speak up.

"Gomen nasai Shishou, demo we're all too tired and there are just so many deadlines with school that we can't help worrying. And the finals are next week. We've all had a bad day today," Kenshin answered.

"And that's your excuse?"

"Come on Hiko-san, we're young adults with college and this part time job to juggle. It isn't very easy," Megumi frowned. "We've been trying to cope up with things, and this isn't the first time that this has happened."

"Please, just let us take a break, and if it's possible to let off the others from the mission tomorrow," Kaoru pleaded. "We all need a break Hiko-san. Please."

Hiko stood there in front of them thinking. They had to go to the casino tomorrow and check things out, or else they'd be shocked when the real case comes up. They had to see everything for themselves so they'd understand. They had to train to prepare for the danger, since they would have to defend themselves against really strong opponents when the time comes. As much as he wanted to make them stay and train, education was their first priority. How would he explain things to their folks if they didn't graduate? He sighed in resignation. He would have to let them off for the day.

"Alright. You can go. But be sure to appear on Friday afternoon. You're going to have to train double time," he said. "But the four of you will still go to the casino tomorrow. Just pick up your stuff from here."

All six faces lightened up.

"Arigato Hiko-san," Misao smiled. "We really appreciate this."

They all grabbed their stuff and ran out of the room.

Kenshin checked himself and his things before turning to his companions.

"Ready?" Aoshi asked.

Sano, Megumi and Kenshin nodded.

"I've checked everyone's earpieces," Megumi said. "They're all working in top condition."

"So, what are we waiting for then?" Sano asked. "Let's go."

"Wait. I'm not quite ready. Would you excuse me for a minute," Kenshin said, going to another room. He picked up his phone and dialed a number.

Kaoru smiled in satisfaction as she held her paper in front of her. Finally, her essay was done! She slumped back on her bed and closed her eyes. She was going to have a good dreamless sleep. She was about to doze off when the phone from her bedside table rang. She lazily picked up the receiver and answered it.

"Yep," she said in a slightly hoarse voice.

"Hey! Going to sleep?" came a voice.

Her eyes snapped open and she quickly sat up.

"Kenshin," she breathed. "I thought you guys were going on a mission."

"Yeah, and we're just about to leave. Anyway, I just wanted to greet you. Happy Birthday," he said tenderly. He was smiling as he said those words.

Kaoru's eyes widened. She had almost forgotten about her birthday! And then she smiled, very much moved by his greeting. Then very softly, she replied, "Thank you Kenshin. I'm... I'm so touched. The others haven't greeted me yet, even Misao. Thanks!"

"You're welcome."

"Good luck on your mission tonight," she said. "Take care and come back safely."

"Aa. I will. You take care too," he breathed, the smile on his lips not yet fading.

And they both hung up.

Kenshin reappeared in front of his friends as Aoshi pulled up his car in front of them. As they were about to go in, Sano nudged him in the sides and said, "I heard your little conversation a while ago Kenshin." Kenshin blushed slightly, and then Sano cried aloud for everyone to hear, "Shoot! I forgot to greet Jou-chan! Today's her birthday right?"

Megumi followed with a curse, "Dang it I forgot! Kaoru's birthday... How could I forget?"

"Heh, seems like Kenshin's the only one here who remembered," Sano smirked. "He excused himself just so he could call Jou-chan to greet her."

"You did Ken-san? How sweet of you."

"He cares for the girl," Aoshi muttered inside the car. Sano and Kenshin's eyes widened. It wasn't like Aoshi to tease, if you called that teasing.

"Maa, let's just go okay?" Kenshin pushed Sano inside and he too climbed in.

AN: I've always thought that Kenshin cared for his Shishou deep down, even if he didn't like to admit it. Hiko deserves some credit too ne, aside from teaching Kenshin Hiten Mitsurugi. After all, he was the one who brought up Kenshin. So, how was it? On to the next chapter!