One day the men of Weiss looked into the air to see a red, white, and
blue jet fly into the Tokyo airport.
"Well," said Omi, "That's a different kind of jet."
Ken popped his head out of flower shop that served as the assassins'
cover. Omi Tsukiyono, Ken Hidaka, Yoji Kudo, and Aya Fujimiya were
assassins hired by Kriticker to stop the evil people that the law couldn't.
They got their orders from a dead man that was once Omi's father.
"Something is going to happen." Yoji said darkly, "I'm having that
feeling again."
"What are you talking about, there are no women around."
Yoji hit Ken in the head, "Not that feeling, you idiot!"
Josie and Sage Daniels stepped off of the private jet from America. "Whoa, Jos, I just got the worst case of the willies." Sage ran her hands up and down her arms. "We have our orders from Madre." Said Josie, dismissing her sister's comment," We are to find and destroy the group that is causing these riots. They are the ones who have been killing off our finest Japanese based Ferret agents, there is only one left in this region, our good friend, Jade . The name of the group or groups responsible has eluded our online Ferrets, who were stopped short by a company called Kriticker." "So we're going to find this group and make them suffer!" Sage threw an arm into the air, "Whoo-hoo, we're going to have fun tonight!" "No." Josie pushed her arm down, "Remember we are just trying to get information, nothing more. I really don't feel like fighting with any groups in this country, not yet." She ran a hand through her chestnut brown hair, "We also have someone to meet up with here. Jade Prize should be waiting around here somewhere." "Jade's here?" Sage bounced beside Josie, her flaming red hear flying behind her, "Yeah! Now we're REALLY going to party!" "I fear for Tokyo." "Jamming Jet, maybe next time you'll let me fly it." "Pul-eeze! You're the one who crashed the last one in Shanghai." "If it weren't for those weird sounds coming out of the radio, I would have landed perfectly." "Those weird sounds were the control TOWER! They were telling us to land on runway five! But, Nooooooo, you had to land on freaking runway two where the 747 was taking off!" "But, I like the number two! It's so symmetrical!" "Shut-up. Look there's Jade!" Josie Jumped in the air, "JAAAaaaddee!"
"What's up, Burmen?" Asked Omi coming down the stairs, "Is it an assignment?" Burmen popped a tape into the VCR and pushed play.
"Men of Weiss, there have been many cases lately of riots in the streets. Random people who suddenly throw themselves into shop windows and are causing utter chaos in the Tokyo." Persia's voice boomed in the silent basement as his shadowed form lit the room, "We have done extensive back round checks on them and all the subjects were American tourists. They have had no prior psychological conditions before these random acts and are usually found dead afterward. Find who is causing this and destroy them. Deny these dark beasts their tomorrows." "What was that all about," Cried Omi, "I don't get it!" Ken looked up at her, "Do any of the victims have anything else in common other than they are Americans?" "They all had these bottles of medication on them." She turned to the rest of the Weiss team, "It was a medication element that none of our medical staff can identify!" "What about the ones who weren't dead at the scene?" Rumbled Aya, "What happened to them?" "They are being held in one of Kriticker's high security holding facilities for observation. When they were found some were growing hair at an increased rate all over themselves and howling, while others proceeded to kill some of our men and women by severing their jugular veins with their teeth." "Vampires and werewolves? You must be joking, oh beautiful one." Smiled Yoji. "Watch yourself, Yoji, this is serious. All of the Americans died five days after the incidents at max. The police are totally baffled, we need you to find whoever gave these pills to the Americans and stop them before they cause any more trouble." "So even Kriticker doesn't have any suspect so they want us to find them instead." "You got it." Burmen winked, "So are you all in?"
"Got any new information, Jade?" Josie tapped the tip of her boot behind her as they entered the music store. "Only a little, this Kriticker place has been blocking my crew at every turn!" She said flipping the sign to 'closed', "It's driving me mad!" "Are you sure closing your shop in the middle of the day is such a good idea? I mean won't your neighbors notice?" "What neighbors? There's the old woman with the tea shop to the right, the old man with the printing shop to my left-" "And four hotter-than-hell men across the street." Sage licked her lips, "Yeah, baby! Water those plants." "Brazen Cat!" Josie smacked her sister on the head, "We're here on business!" "Business, smuisness! Let me have fun!" She stretched, "You haven't let me have any fun since Rio." "Oh, you mean when you tipped the waiter by putting money in his belt with your teeth?" "Yeah, like that. Well, I'm off." Sage started out the door when Josie grabbed her collar, "Urk!" "And just where do you think you are going?" "To buy some flowers?" "Not, now.later, when we all can go."
"Hey, Yoji, look." Said Ken pointing out the window, "The girl across the street just closed early." "Hmmm, that is odd. There are people in the shop too, I don't recognize them at all." Omi came over from the side carrying an azalea bush, "Well, maybe they are family?" Yoji produced a pair of binoculars out of his back pocket, "No, they don't look like any family of hers.but they do look alike. Hot pair, too. Not as hot as our little neighbor there but still.worthy of my watching." "Oh, Yoji, will you ever learn?" Said Azura from the counter. Little Aya giggled behind her hand, she had only been awake a year, but in that time she had learned a lot about her brothers friends. She looked up at the music shop across the street, for some reason, she knew that something was going to happen soon.
Jade turned out the lights and lead Josie and Sage to the back of the store and pulled down on an oboe. The wall slowly moved revealing a hidden staircase down into the basement. There was scattered couches, a computer in the corner, coffee on the coffee table and a box of Krispy Kremes on the floor in front of a wide screen television. "This is where we get our orders from Madre." Said Jade, "She tells us what she needs to know in Japan and we find it out." "So where is everybody? This place is usually buzzing when I call you. You have to shout to be heard over the phone." "They're all gone, Jos. The entire crew of Ferrets is gone. Charlie, Frankie, Bobby, John and Carl are all gone! Charlie was taken over a year ago, Frankie three months after that, and so on. The police found some of their bodies in the middle of the riots we have been having over here. The people on the news say that they are the ones who caused it. I know them, Josie. They would never do something like that! Madre keeps sending more Ferrets but they all just keep disappearing and then they are either found dead.or not found at all." Sage shivered, "Oooooh, creepy. So do you have any suspects yet?" She cracked her knuckles. "We have two suspect groups: Schwartz, and the other group that we can't find anything else about. That's why we called you two in. Sage, you're the best hacker known to man. We.or rather, I need you to hack into Kriticker's system to see just who this other group is. Jos, I need you to go down to Kriticker itself and bring back all the files you can possibly get your hands on. Did you bring your purse?" Josie held up the purse, "Was there ever a doubt?" Her purse contained almost everything needed for your basic breaking and entering.without all the legal jazz, and various things needed for special occasions. It held a can of hairspray, and most stuff you would find in a normal purse except for her weapon. An expandable quarter staff that with the touch of a button became a deadly naginata, which Josie was very adept at using to her advantage. It looked like a weight bar to the eye except it had two buttons and a switch that made it change its form. She kissed it before putting it back in her purse. "Hey, sis, how did you get that through airport security?" "I love this shirt. It's perfect for flirtation." Sage made a face, "You're sick." "I've also gotten a package from the Padre agents," Said Jade, pulling out a box and dropping it on the sofa, "There are some things in here I think you will find very useful." She pulled out two boxes of jewelry. "Aw, Jade you shouldn't have!" Sage said from the sofa, "We didn't get you anything." "Though I would love to take the credit for this, it wasn't me. Padre is the technical wizards, talk to them." Jade tossed a box to Josie, "These are translators. This way I don't always have to be around. The necklace makes your voice sound like Japanese and the earrings make the Japanese sound like English." "Oh, so very cool!" Sage said in Japanese, touching the necklace, "Hey! I can't understand what I'm saying! That is so weird!" Jade went up to Sage and touched her earring, changing the jewel's color from a pale hunter green to a raging red ruby, "There," She said in Japanese, "How is that?" "Hey! That's neat!" "The best part is you can still understand English with these little babies, along with several other languages, thanks to the Padres." "I think I understand how this works from watching the two of you." Josie touched the deep amber orb of the necklace, changing it to a blazing sapphire, as did the earrings when they were touched, "Well, how is that?" "Perfect, Jos, but we had better dim it. You two should have accents, because there isn't an invention in the world to make you two look anything but American. I'll do all of the adjustments from here." Jade went over to her desk in the corner where the computer was, "I have something else for you too. I made these myself; I plan to send the plans to the Padre unit in Tokyo as soon as possible. These bracelets are tuned into one of the earrings; just don't hold it too close to your head or one of the earrings with change color." "You mean like a magnet and a television set." Josie smiled suddenly understanding. "Right. We start at the Kriticker building tonight, but for now, we have a legitimate business. I can't tell how many times the government of Japan has investigated us. Here is the scoop; you two are my newest workers from the states." She started to lead the girls back up the stairs when she abruptly turned, "Oh, and here are your uniforms."
"Say," Said Aya looking out the window, "Have you ever realized how many times our neighbor has switched employees?" Yoji set down a plant on the table, "What do you mean, I've never noticed anything out of the ordinary before." "You wouldn't. I mean that since she moved her business in, I've only seen workers Hired, never have I seen anyone Fired!" "Aya's right, Yoji," said Omi, "No one who's come out of that building has ever come out looking dejected, like you would look if you were fired from a job, but somehow she still keeps loosing people, something is going on." "Omi, can you tap into their computer files?" "Awww, why do I always have to do stuff like that?" Ken ruffled Omi's hair, "Because you're just so good at it." Omi tossed up his arm in acceptance, "Fine, maybe it can help us in our mission."
"Hey, Jos, Jade! Those hot guys from across the street are watching us. It's almost kind of creepy, especially that red-head, he just freaks me out." Sage pointed at Aya. "Aw, their fine. So they like girls, so what?" "Hmmm," said Josie, "I wonder, Jade, why is it that four men can tend a flower shop and not go flabby." "They work out?" Suggested Sage. "No," Shrugged Jade, "I've never seen them leave and come back sweaty.and believe me, I would notice." She helped Sage tie the blue smock that said 'I Love Music' on it behind her back. "I could check them out on the Internet and see what turns up!" Sage pulled away from Jade and headed toward the back of the store, mumbling about how much she hated uniforms. Jade and Josie laughed behind their hands until the bell on the door rang. Nonchalantly, Josie touched her necklace and made as if to put on her earrings.
Yoji and Ken were chosen to go to the music shop to investigate what had happened to the other employees who had worked there for the past four months. Yoji gladly volunteered, "Hi there, you pretty little thing you. How have you been?" He leaned over the counter looking straight into Jade's eyes. He served as a distraction while Ken put a bug on the doorknob, Burmen had insisted. "J-just fine, Yoji, and you?" Jade played with her own real necklace, her face flushing with happiness. Josie just shook her head and accidentally bumped into her with an oboe, "Jade, who are your friends?" "Oh! I'm sorry, Jos. This is Yoji Kudo and his friend, Ken Hidaka. They help run the flower shop across the street." Josie looked at the two in front of her, they were both very attractive, but there was just something about them.she couldn't put her finger on it. She smiled and offered her hand to shake, "Hi, my name is Josie, my sister and I just got here from the states." Ken raised an eyebrow, 'They're American' he thought, but aloud he said, "What brings you to Japan?" "Jade is my best friend, she has had some unfortunate complications with the former employees and asked us to come and help her out. My sister really wanted to see Japan, so I figured I would get to see Tokyo and get to see my friend, what could be better?" Yoji looked over his shoulder facing the fake wall that lead downstairs, "Where is your sister?" "Oh, she's upstairs unpacking her things. She's has to hurry, we have to get her into school soon. I won't have her slacking off just because were helping Jade out." Josie saw Jade hurry over to the wall that Yoji was so interested in and start to polish the flute that was there. Josie prayed that Sage wouldn't come up anytime soon. "How old is your sister?" asked Ken, interested. "Just 17, she's a good kid though." Josie walked behind the glass counter, watching him. "You seem mighty young yourself, Josie. Why aren't your parents with you?" "I am 19, mister know it all, and quite capable of handling things myself!" She felt her face grow hot, she didn't like thinking about her parents, and the horrible way they had died. Josie turned away then, bussing herself with the reeds that were only sold behind the counter in the glass case. She closed her eyes, biting the inside of her lip to steady herself. When she opened them again, Ken was looking through the glass at her. "I didn't mean any disrespect. I just thought someone as cute as you shouldn't be in the wilds of Japan alone." He smiled at her as she blushed. Jade heard what sounded like Sage's footsteps on the stairs that lead to the second floor coming down..but, Sage was downstairs, how did she manage that? Later she found out that Jade had a secret staircase that led to the third floor for just such occasions. "Hey, Jos, you wouldn't believe what I found-" She stopped short as she entered the room, "Hiya! I'm Sage Daniels, aren't you two of the hot guys across the street?" Josie could have killed her; she could have absolutely killed her! You don't tell men they are hot, it just wasn't done! But, Josie did take pleasure in seeing the color rise in Ken's face. Yoji just laughed, "Well, aren't you cute?" He gave her one of his thousand watt smiles that usually melted any normal girl. Sage wasn't your normal girl, though. "Jos, I found your flute in my suitcase. Remember how you thought you lost it on the loooong plane ride here? You thought Mice would be surfing with the case right now." She smiled, "But I found it!" "That's great, Sis! Now I can play without paying rent." Josie smiled on the outside, but on the inside she went cold, Sage was talking in code. There was a problem with another hacker on the computer. "Just what are you implying, Little Miss Josie?" Glared Jade. "Oh, nothing, just that you're as frugal as Ebenezer Scrooge." She smiled at Ken, " She wouldn't give anything away for free." "Oh, you LIAR! How could you say something so mean about your best friend, who, by the way, is giving you a job and a place to stay." "Let's go, Ken." Said Yoji out of the side of his mouth, "I sense a cat fight."
As soon as they were out the door, Josie, Sage, and Jade erupted into laughter. "I-I've never seen that look on Yoji's face before, you completely blew him off! It was the funniest thing I've ever seen! But what was all that business with the flute?" Josie's face got serious as she put a hand to her lips and mouthed, "Bug." Sage picked up on it right away, "Oh, Jos was just worried that the airline would loose it, so she put it in my suitcase." She winked at Jade, "You know how much she worries." Josie pointed at the doorknob, pulling out a pen. She scraped the lock on the door and brought the offensive listening device to the glass counter, motioning for Jade and Sage to follow her to look at it. "You're right," Jade said a bit sadly, "Josie is such a worry-wart" Josie crushed the device on the pen's top onto the glass counter.
Omi threw the head phones off his head as the bug was crushed. He looked up at the rest of the group, "They knew it was there the whole time! Whoever they are, they're good." "Awww," Groaned Yoji, "I was hoping we wouldn't have to make enemies with this one." "We still might not, we don't know if they are the ones causing the rioting monsters or not." Ken pointed out. "Don't get your hopes up." Murmured Aya. "Did you find out anything by tapping into the computer, Omi?" Asked Yoji, leaning over the screen. "I managed to download the employee file, but only half of it. Someone else was on that computer over there and they were hacking to over here! I had to stop them as fast as I could. They scrambled the other half of the data that I hadn't gotten to yet. Aya, did Burmen leave that list of names with you? I want to check them against the one's I have." Aya handed over the list to Omi who had already pulled up the information he had gotten. "These are the same names." Omi gasped, "The other hacker got the vertical half of what we needed but take a look at this." He moved so the others could see, "They are all the same American names with either a 'K' or an 'M' next to them. What do you guys think it means?"
"There was another Hacker?! How did he manage to get into the system? We're supposed to have the most advanced PC in the world here!" Jade paced the basement floor. "I caught him in time, Jade. He only got half the info he was looking for, but then again, so did we." "What, do you mean Sage?" Josie moved closer to the computer to get a closer look. "I mean we were right to suspect this Kriticker company. They are hiding something very big that the rest of the Japanese government has no clue about. The other guy cut me out before I could find out anything really useful on the computer. Jos, you have to get into that place and get the hard copies for us. Without them we'll never find anything out." "I'm going tonight, so no worries about that. Jade you have to watch that flower shop tonight. Let me know on the bracelet if there is any, and I mean ANY activity." "I was planning on doing that anyway." Jade smiled at Sage, "Care to share a popcorn with me and my binoculars?" "Geez! You're as bad as Sage is! Just don't let me get caught, okay? I don't like to fight." "But, if you do have to fight we'll have the music ready" Said Sage. Jade's eyebrow arched, "Music?" "She fights best with a beat." "My favorite is the first soundtrack for Moulan Rouge, there are some songs on there that I really like." Josie smiled before she started talking again, "Is there anything else I should know about this Kriticker place before I go in." "There should be armed guards on the first floor, but you know how rent-a-cops act. There should only be two of them so have Sage cook up a sleeping potion." "Wait. You need a sleeping potion?" Sage's eyes gleamed with excitement, "I need a certain type of flower in order to make it." "What kind of flower?" Josie's eyebrow arches slightly. "An orchid bud, we have all the rest of the ingredients here." She smiled as she stood, "You know what that means.Lets go to the flower shop!" Sage looked hopefully at Josie. Josie's eyes smiled down at her sister, "You know," she said thinking of Ken, "I think that is a wonderful idea." "Plus, we get to plant a bug on them this time." Smiled Jade, "But we had better bring two, one in an obvious place like on a plant or a door, and the other somewhere more discrete." "I'll handle the second one, Jade, you and Sage figure out where to put the first." "Well," Said Sage, "I'm going to keep one of them busy trying to get that plant. Meanwhile, Jade can become very interested with a plant in one of those ceramic pots and put the blinking bogus on the back of it." "You're really smart when you aren't high on sugar." Josie patted her on the head and turned toward the staircase, "Well, what are we waiting for?"
"You need to learn to keep your mind objective, Yoji." Said Aya as they returned to the main floral room, "You let yourself be distracted by women." "You wound me, Aya. I'll have you know I keep very objective, but if a roll in the hay gets the information you need, then why not?" "You were just lucky about that wall on the far side of the music store. Any radar could have told us that five times before you came back!" "Now, now, boys." Said little Aya, "No fighting in the flower shop, we have customers coming this way." The Weiss men looked up to see Jade, Sage, and Josie striding their way. They immediately moved in different directions so each of them could watch them from a different angle. Omi went over by the orchids; Yoji busied himself by watering the plants by the door, Ken went behind the register, and Aya watched out of the corner of his eye from the rare flower case. The girls came in giggling about something or other as they split in three different directions. Sage headed straight for the orchids, winking at Omi who gulped. She started her search for the perfect thing to put some large, burly, guards to sleep. Jade gave Yoji a seductive grin before she went over to one of the displays, handling all of the ceramic pots. "Can I help you at all, Jade?" Yoji said behind her giving her a jolt. "No, thank you. I'm just looking for a present for my mother. She always loved flowers in interesting pots. I was thinking of painting one for her before I ship it." Yoji's eyes narrowed slightly. Jade had told her before that her mother was dead, so why was she changing her story now? Josie leaned over the counter and smiled at Ken, "Hi. How are you doing?" "Fine, thanks. Is there anything I could help you with?" "Well, there are lots of things you could help me with, but not right now." Ken's eyes got big as Josie laughed, "You're fun to tease, Mr. Ken. But, really Sage and I are just looking for a gift for our little sister." "You have another sister?" "Yeah, she's ten. She misses us a lot; she always says so in her letters. We were also looking for something to liven up the music store. It's kind of dull in the upper rooms. Any suggestions?" "Well, I've always liked gentians myself." "Love and power; a strong meaning, Mr. Ken." She stood considering, "I think I just might buy some." Josie looked down at Ken's watch and tapped the top of it. "What was that for?" Ken pulled back his arm, carefully examining it. "It's something my mom always did. It's supposed to bring good luck to the wearer of the watch." She smiled again, "So where are those gentians?"
After they left, the Weiss men went over what the girls had done. They had purchased one ceramic potted plant, two gentian plants, and a young orchid that hadn't bloomed yet. "What's their angle."wondered Aya, "They didn't just come into this shop to buy plants." "Jade was looking at those plants a little too thoroughly for my taste." Said Ken, "She could have put something on one of them." "A bug for a bug, makes sense." Murmured Yoji, "But it seems such a waste to throw them all away." "Maybe there is a way to detect them," Said Omi, "You know, like a light or something." Aya nodded in agreement and went over to the wall to turn off the light. The room bathed in darkness except for a steady blinking red light on one of the ceramic pots. "I really was hoping we were wrong, too." Yoji pouted as he brought the blinking light plant to the counter. "Well, I'll give this to them," Ken sat in one of the chairs, "They are fantastic at distraction. The elder girl had me almost completely convinced. She said she wanted to send some flowers to her ten year old little sister. She even gave me an address to send the flowers." "Hey, Ken, let me see that address, maybe I can find out something." Omi reached over and got the little slip of paper from Ken. Aya scraped the bug off of the potted plant and whispered at it, "We will get you, and your death is near." Then he smashed it under his foot.
"Wow, violent little booger, isn't he?" Said Sage from the computer. "Somehow, I think it's more than that." Murmured Josie, standing, "It's a good thing that we planted that other bug to actually tape them." Jade tilted her head to one side, "Just where did you put that thing, Jos?"
"On Ken's watch. I figure he has to wear it wherever he goes right, so we should hear a lot. Maybe even the added bonus of shower songs if it's as waterproof as I think it is." She smiled. "You're bad." Sage said wagging a finger at her, "But now that I have the bud I needed, I can make that sleeping potion for you." "Just how powerful will it be?" Asked Jade, "I mean we wouldn't want the guards to wake up as soon as she gets one ninja foot in the door." "Five minutes." "WHAT?! We need it to last as long as-" "For a whale. For a human, they should be out for a day at least." Sage smiled, "Is that long enough, Jos?"
"Perfect. Now, Jade, to we have any certain letter of the alphabet?" "Well, from this info that Sage got, there are three letter couplets that are continuously mentioned." She pointed at the screen over Sage's shoulder, "Swa, Ame, and Wei. These are the letter couplets I want you to look for." She nodded shortly smiling, "Right. Me and my purse will get in and out fast."
That night, the street was silent as a dark form emerged from the back of the music shop. Aya narrowed his eyes and turned to follow her to were ever she was going. He breezed through the living room, the others staring after him. Yoji stood, "We should follow him."
Josie jumped onto the back of a waiting motorcycle, she was in full ninja gear, her purse slung over her shoulder. Under her mask she smiled, she always did enjoy this part. Madre had had her sneak in and steal many things of national value that was stolen from the U.S. It wasn't really stealing, figuring that they were stolen from America in the first place, but it was still as fun as what she was doing before. Before, she was a thief who would steal anything and everything for the right price. She told herself it was for Sage and their life together without their parents. This was how she put Sage through some of the hardest schools to get into, all the while making sure to cover her own ass. But it only takes one screw up to get caught. That screw up almost landed her in prison, where she couldn't do anything to further her sisters' education. That was when Madre had hired her and her sister on, because, unbeknownst to Josie, Sage had been a hacker for most of her high school career. Fortunately, their youngest sister had been put into foster care and was unaffected by all of this. Josie felt tears in her eyes when she thought of Kat. She was a good kid; Josie swore to herself that she would find her again. After Madre was done with them, after they found the group behind all this shit with the riots. She smiled to herself, 'Soon, Kat, real soon.'
Schuldich turned to Nagi before turning the corner in his red sports car, "It seems we have someone on to us. Brad should be interested in this, figuring he is an American himself. We'll see if he feels like starting another riot." The wind whipped his red hair around his face. He smiled to himself, he liked the sense of power he had when he read minds. He knew this girl now. He could take her and use him against one of the members of Weiss. They would pay for trying to kill he and his companions.and almost succeeding. "Should we follow her?" Nagi stared straight ahead, no emotion at all in his eyes. Nagi really hadn't felt anything since Tot's death. He had been running mostly on autopilot for over a year now. It was starting to get hard to tell what he was like before Nagi lost her. He had almost felt hope of joining her when they were all underwater, the building collapsing around them. Curse his 'gift'! It was so self-preserving, so self- righteous, it hadn't even given him the right to die and be with Tot forever. Schuldich elbowed the boy next to him, "Hey, kid, snap out of it." He tossed Nagi a cell phone, "Call Crawford and give him a heads up. Though he'll probably know without you saying a word."
Josie pulled up to the dark building that Jade had pointed out on a map on Sage's computer. "Your running smooth, Jos." Said Jade from her wrist, "No movement from across the way at all." "You're certain?" "Yeah, why?" "I just saw a red corvette twist round that last bend fast. Now I know that Japan is growing in the economy department, but how many people in this country can afford something like that?" "You have a good point, Josie. Just keep you wits about you, okay?" "Got it, put the music on for me. I want to get pumped if I have to fight." Josie pulled the bike up to the side of the building where Sage had found the Janitorial entrance. She had to admit her sister was a really good hacker. Josie smiled as she heard the beginnings of the soundtrack. She opened it up with a new lock-picking instrument that Jade had made on momentary notice. Jade always had been the wizard when it came to gadgets. Her mind emptied as she finished with the security systems. They were now on play instead of record. The guards at the desk were watching the rounds from earlier that day.
Ken watched as the form went silently into the building. As he looked up to survey the area, he felt a strange pull toward it. Almost as if he should know it, but Ken had never been there before, he couldn't explain this feeling. Then he saw a movement out of the corner of his eye. Out of the front door stepped a familiar face.Manx. She was holding a file as she walked to her car. Yoji walked up behind Ken, "Well, well, well, if it isn't Manx. That must mean." Omi's eyes went wide, "This building must be Kriticker! But how did the ninja know it was here? " "No time for that," Aya rumbled, "We have to follow the ninja to make sure she doesn't get what she is after." The other members of Weiss nodded, they were agreed. Nothing must happen to Kriticker. It was the only really stable thing they had. It had always been there from the very beginning. Stealthily, they followed behind the ninja, following her to see where she was going.
Josie looked up at the air duct, perfect for above guard bombing. She smiled as she jumped up into the duct, barley making a sound and replacing the grate before Weiss came around the corner behind her. She made sure that her quarry was not too far away from her currant position, She could hear them talking in the corridor ahead. She smiled as she got directly above them and dropped Sages sleepy time bombs.
Aya scowled, they lost her. He was certain now that these three girls were the targets. His eyes narrowed as he heard the familiar sound of two falling bodies. They sped ahead to find the ruminants of a greenish gas hanging in the air above the two guards bodies. "Dammit!" He snarled, "Take their pulse to see if they are alive. We'll split up, we're more likely to find the ninja than if we are together." Aya rounded the corner and was gone, leaving Omi, Yoji and Ken looking bewildered at each other. "We have got to get him on decaf." Yoji shook his head as he turned in the opposite direction and was off. "Are the guards okay, Omi-chan?" Ken looked concerned down at the two fallen guards. "They are.sleeping?" "Good that means they're alive." Ken turned left and headed down the hallway, there was no time to waste, that ninja was up to no good and it was up to him and the others to stop her. Omi was left alone in the hallway with the guards when he heard a small sound. Instantly he was up on his feet, his daggers ready for whoever might be there. He twirled to see two more ninjas staring him in the face. Omi threw his darts at them with lightning speed, but to his dismay, they both dodged them. He was about to let loose another assault when he heard a ping at his feet. Looking down, he saw it was a similar bomb to the ones they had used on the guards earlier! Omi covered his mouth and tried to turn away when he heard the crack of a bullwhip! It stung slightly as it wrapped around his legs and pulled them out from under him. Omi's breath whooshed out of him like an escaped bird, he gasped for air only to breath in that strange green mist. The taller ninja was a slow moving blur as Omi squinted at her. The ninja seemed to be wagging a negative finger at him. It almost reminded him of a mother or an aunt scolding him. Yes, he thought just before he passed out, a mother or an aunt, or a girlfriend.
Jade and Sage had followed the flower shop quartet, not being able to reach Josie on her bracelet. They left in ninja suits, just like Josie had done earlier, and followed them to Kriticker. They had to keep the boys busy in order to give Josie the time she needed. Jade motioned for Sage to go down the opposite hall after she had finished tying up Omi. Sage pouted through the mask, she wanted to tie up Omi. Jade gave her a look and pointed down the hall. Sage turned and strode down the hall; hopefully she would find another guard to take her frustration out on. Josie opened the door to the records room silently. The room was filled with filing cabinets whose tops touched the ceiling. She set her jaw and went to work looking for the first letter couplet, Ame. She bent over the files, her eyes searching the headings. 'There!' she thought triumphantly, 'This is the only file with that heading.' She pushed the file into her large purse and went on to find the next couplet.' She frowned as she searched in vain for the 'Swa' file. Knowing she didn't have much time, Josie went to find the final couplet.
Yoji slammed the door open, ready for enemy fire. When nothing came he flipped on the lights. He was met with two more fallen guards. After quickly checking their pulse, he searched the room for any sign of the mysterious female ninja. He didn't want to believe Aya's theory about the music girl, but all the evidence was stacked against her. She almost reminded him of Auska. The way she moved, the attitude she talked, and they were almost identical. But, there was one major difference, he had killed Auska, and he wasn't sure he was ready to kill Jade. Yoji looked sadly at the guards on the ground. It didn't seem like he had a choice in the matter. If Aya was right, then they would have no choice but to kill them. But, still his heart wasn't in it. Yoji turned around just in time to see a flash of black out of the corner of his eye. His hand went to the wire button and zipped out. The ninja woman jumped just in time so the deadly wire went under her feet. With the speed of a cat, she turned and had her hand in a similar position as Yoji's. Yoji dodged just in time to miss the thin strand of metal that sliced through the air toward him. "Ah, a woman with taste," He said, trying to throw her off guard, "We'll just see who wins this match." With a bit of bravado, the woman took a stance and pointed at herself. Yoji would have laughed if he had been sure that he would win.
Jade smiled in her suit, she would beat him hands down. He just didn't have the right kind of stuff. It was a shame that she had to fight him, but she had to protect Josie. This mission was vital to Madre, plus, she had a personal grudge with whoever had been kidnapping the ferrets. Her crew had been the closest thing to a family she had, and she wasn't going to let this go without some sort of reconciliation. She wrapped the end of her wire around her dagger necklace, and pressed down the dragon's nose on it. The smaller dagger-shaped jewelry grew in her hand until it was the size of a normal dagger. She had it created as one of her many inventions she would have to send to the padre's. Now the wire became a double weapon, good for long and short range. She was just about to get in a good hit when her bracelet started talking, "Hey, you guys, could you change the song, I hate this one." Yoji's eyes went wide as he looked around for the voice. Not taking her eyes off him for a second, Jade spoke through gritted teeth into the little circlet around her wrist in English, "Hon, we have some serious bovine fecal matter going on out here. Do you have a bogy in the room your in? Before you answer, turn off your translator." She leapt out of the way of Yoji's wire and up into a ventilator shaft above her head. Jade slammed the lid and edged backward in time for his wire to miss piecing her. She gulped quietly and turned her attention back to the bracelet. "No, chick, no bogies. Are you telling me the flower boys came after me? I thought you guys were going to warn me!?" "Your communicator wasn't getting the signal to you for some reason, only the music. So we decided to give you some back up. Three against four pretty much evens it up. We already got one; Lil bit is finishing up with him and is going to meet back up with me. Do you have the files?" Her heart pounded as she heard a sound in front of her, "I have some business to attend to." "Yes and no, I'll explain later. Just, for God's sake, don't get killed." Josie looked down at the file marked Wei, "We are dealing with some interesting people here." "Got it," said the bracelet, "Get out with the files you have ASAP, got me. Me and Lil bit will meet you outside, we already have things set up for a nice smooth getaway." Josie heard a few more bangs and a clang. "Okay, I really have to go now. I'll see you in five. OOOFFF! Better make that fifteen."
Josie nodded and touched the necklace again; if she was caught she wanted to make sure she was understood. She stuffed the remaining file into her purse just as the door behind her creaked open. There, standing in the door way was Ken. He wore what looked like aviator goggles on his head and large gloves on his hands. He flexed his hands and out shot knives that made the gloves look like claws. He walked toward her, his eyes steady and cold. Josie reached behind her back between her shoulder blades and got her weapon. The metal bar felt cold in her hands as she slid the black safety button across and pushed the green button in. The bar extended into a metal quarterstaff. She whirled this new weapon around her with ease as Ken advanced. Fortunately for Josie, one of her favorite songs had just come on. Lady Marmalade was playing strong and hot in her ear, begging to be used.
Ken found himself face to face with the ninja. He wasn't expecting her to be ready for him as he flexed his fisted hands. As he walked slowly toward her, he realized that she was much taller than Japanese woman he had met. Where had he seen height like that before? The weapon she had looked a little like a Bo, but much longer and metal. It had extended before his very eyes. 'This is going to be a real challenge.' He realized as she whirled it in front of her. He would have to somehow get between that thing and her in order to do what he had to. Ken ran at her with a yell, one of his fists aimed at her stomach the other aimed at her leg. When she looked up at him, she had fire in her eyes, daring him to try. He slashed at her and found himself met with the metal of the pole, not the flesh of a human. He looked up at her, her eyes held something he didn't expect to see, challenge. Not the anger of being barged in on, not the cold stare of death, but a challenge. And on top of that He could have sworn she was humming as the metal pole cracked into his shins. Ken clenched his teeth in pain as he jabbed forward with his clawed hand. The ninja nimbly leapt over him using the metal weapon as a pole vault. This song was perfect. It made her moves fluid as Josie faced Ken again. He was indeed formidable, but so was the next song. She smiled under her mask. Without knowing it, her entire body took on a different position, now, her moves where faster with more of a beat. She resisted the urge to throw her head back and laugh.
Jade had her hands full with Yoji when the music flowed into her ears too. She smiled and realized why Jos liked to fight with it. It made things like thinking about one's next move much easier. She threw the dagger over his shoulder, expecting him to dodge like he did. Then, using the dagger as a weight, she managed to get it around his neck, the dagger landing in her opposite hand. She had no plans of killing him, just making him incapacitated. Yoji clutched at his neck striving for air. Her face felt pale as she watched him fall to the floor of the air duct. Making sure he was out cold, she gingerly placed him on the floor of the room below them. Yoji would wake up with one hell of a bruise, but at least he would be alive. She strode out of the room just as the song ended and the next started.
Sage met up with Jade on the way back out the back door, they were well on their way when suddenly they were faced with a very dangerous looking Aya. He narrowed his eyes as he caught sight of the girls at the end of the hallway. Sage and Jade looked to each other and nodded, they had no time for this. Sage threw one of her bombs directly at Aya, who blocked it with ease, sending it hurtling back at her. The girls managed to dodge and put on their gas masks before it detonated. With a growl, Aya covered his mouth and nose with a sleeve before ducking into an empty room. Sage snagged a broom from a nearby janitor's closet. Sliding it between the door handles, Sage locked a very peeved Aya in the room.
Josie was panting as she stared down Ken, she could not afford to lose this fight. She had managed to stave him off with the quarterstaff, keeping him at a comfortable distance, but no further than that. He wasn't giving her any room to escape. This fight had lasted for three songs already, and she needed to get out of there so she could meet up with the girls. Her chin lifted in challenge as he rushed her again, one hand low, the other hand high. She cursed silently; she could only block one of his hands. Not wanting to be gutted like some fish, she opted for the low hand. Ken's right hand met with the metal of the pole, while the other went past the hell object and sunk deep into her flesh by her collarbone. He heard her gasp in pain as his claw came away bloodied. Before he knew it, the pole cracked against his scull. White-hot pain flashed for a moment before he looked back to where she was standing. The ninja was gone, empty space filling the spot she had stood a moment earlier. Ken looked around him, she could still be around, and then he noticed the breeze blowing the panels of a newly opened window. He stuck his head out just in time to see her leap into a waiting truck and she was gone.
"Oooooo." Josie groaned as Sage and Jade patched her shoulder, "Be careful, will you? That hurts, damn it!" "Well, if you would stay still, it wouldn't hurt so much." Sage said placing the bandaging tap gingerly against her sister's skin. "What made you think you could take him on without help?" Jade stepped back, looking at the finished work, "Well, it isn't art, but it'll hold." "Groovy," Josie reached into her purse with her good hand and handed Jade the files, "I couldn't find everything, but two out of three ain't bad." Jade opened the Ame file first. Her eyes narrowed in concentration as she read what she now held, "Oh, shit." "What's up?" Sage looked over Jade's shoulder at the file. It had pictures of the ferrets, in order of disappearance, and pictures of monsters, "What the hell is this Kriticker place trying to pull. Werewolves and vampires don't exist!" "You can't read this, Sage. This document is saying that the monsters are the ferrets in reality! That some sort of medication turned them into monsters, but that is impossible. It says here that they were each found with bottles of medication. They didn't take any meds. Ferrets are tested to be sure that they don't need any." "Sounds like someone is really screwing with our people," said Josie with a sneer, "And I don't like it one bit."
That morning, the music store remained closed. The flower shop was open, but it was only operating with a skeleton crew, Little Aya, Azura, and the old woman with the cat. Both the men and the girls were recuperating from last night's events. Each group was dealing with their own flashes of pain. Neither group having the energy to look out the window at the flashy red sports car parked along the street.
Schuldich could have laughed. They had done much damage to EACH OTHER! Schwartz didn't have to do a thing. He smiled as he and Crawford stepped out of the car and onto the street in front of the music store. Crawford frowned slightly as he noticed the closed sign. "Not like a thing like that could stop us, eh?" "Shut up. I want these three Americans as our next.guinea pigs. See to it that they are captured accordingly." "Of course, that's the fun part." Schuldich smiled, "Should I call Nagi and Farfello?" "There should be no need for them. You should be able to handle them yourself. Try to make as little noise as possible with this." "Do you want them tonight?" "No, take your time. Just get them to the lab."
Azura's eyes widened as she recognized the men who got out of the red sports car. Her breath catching in her throat, she frantically went to find Aya. Little Aya took over the register, not knowing the danger. Azura ran as fast as her feet would take her. She had to get to Aya; he would know what to do. She started shouting and pounding on his door. "Aya! Aya! They're back! They are back from the dead! Aya!" Tears welled up behind her eyes as she screamed at the door. "Calm down, Azura-chan," Aya said opening the door, "What is this about someone being back from the dead?" "Those men, the ones who kidnapped me and Little Aya! They are across the street!" She shivered, "I think they are after those nice girls." Aya growled and pushed past her, "Get Little Aya and hide in my room until I say it is safe." "Okay," Azura nodded heading back to the main flower shop, "I thought you killed those men, Aya." "So did I, Azura-chan, so did I." Aya had to hurry, if Schwartz was alive, he and the others were going to have some trouble ahead.
Aya had gotten down to the flower shop when he found himself faced with Manx. "Aya, good, I was just looking for you. We've found your target." "I've no time now, Manx! Schwartz is back!" "I know, they are your target." "What?" "Do I really have to repeat myself? Schwartz is the ones responsible for all the riots. We think they are responsible for the recent break in as well." Manx lead Aya downstairs. "Manx you don't seem to understand, two of them are outside right now!" "None of you are in any condition to fight right now." She pushed him onto the couch. "I hate to say it, but she is right, Aya." Said Omi from the computer, "We just don't have the man-power yet. I've also found out more about our mysterious ninja women." Manx looked up surprised, "Ninja women?" Aya sneered and crossed his arms, "THEY are the ones who broke in last night. You're cameras are in need of serious repair if you thought those were men!" "The one I fought did have the most hypnotic pair of-" Ken smacked Yoji on the back of the head. "Don't be vulgar, Yoji." Said Manx coolly, "Well, that puts a whole new light on the robbery. But Kriticker is certain that Schwartz is the cause of the riots. They must have stumbled upon some of Takitori's old notes and made some sort of monster making potion in pill form." "They might be working together." Said Omi from the computer, "I haven't been able to pull up anything on the girls. Not passports, no previous addresses, social security number, nothing! The only thing that seems real is that address that Ken gave me." He held the slip of paper he had gotten from Ken, "There really is a little girl there, answering to the name of 'Kat'. She is ten years old and living in special foster care. I haven't been able to figure out what special means." "Good work, Omi. " Said Manx, "Keep digging. I'll inform Kriticker about the ninja women."
Schuldich tapped gently on the glass of the front door. Josie hissed in pain as she sat up in her room. Jade and Sage had to choose today to go to the market. She pressed the necklace and earrings as she walked slowly downstairs. She was humming a song from the soundtrack; they always seemed to be playing in her head. As she got to the bottom of the staircase she eyed the stranger carefully. She didn't trust him. You are not afraid. Schuldich thought at her. Jade snorted at the thought; Of course she wasn't afraid of him. He was just another customer at the door. Her chin lifted as she looked up at him through the glass, "I'm sorry sir, we are closed today. Come back tomorrow."
"I just had a question. Would you please open just for a question?" His voice. There was something different about his voice. "No, sir, please come back tomorrow." The music was flowing through her head again. She turned away from the door. "Wait." Normally that word wouldn't stop her, but for some reason, it did, "Yes?" "Please?" This was going to be harder than Schuldich had originally thought; there was something different about her. She wasn't responding, as she should be. "I am sorry, I don't speak much Japanese. Music store closed. You come back tomorrow." Josie turned again, smiling as she saw the C.D. player on the counter. 'Yay! Now I can listen to this song in my head.' She turned on the music and ignored Schuldich's insistent mind control. Her feelings were now wrapped up in the song, overpowering her thoughts. Schuldich scowled as he heard the music in his mind. He was about to pound on the door again when he felt it. It flowed with the music, so genuine, it was something Schuldich had never felt before. Power, far beyond anything he had ever experienced before. He watched her dance around the room to the music now playing in her ears. She almost flew, a smile on her face as she mouthed the words. This girl could feel the meaning behind the words and somehow she sent them shooting through Schuldich. He mouthed one word against the glass, "Josie." "Is something the matter, Schuldich?" Said Crawford from behind him. "No, nothing. I'll get her to the lab." "Good. Just don't get caught up." He sneered at the girl behind the glass, but not before feeling a pull of emotion. Crawford immediately blocked, being around some of the most successful psychics in the world, he knew how to stop such things as emotions.
Ken looked up from the flower he was working on. He looked over at the music store, a small smile lighting on his lips. He was glad to know that they weren't the targets. That Aya had been wrong after all. Then a feeling swelled in his heart. It was so big it almost hurt. Ken gasped as his heart was suddenly filled with love. Not just something you felt for an attractive woman, no, this was much more. Then, he saw her. Josie. She was sitting in the windowsill, facing the wind. It blew her hair behind her. She seemed to move in slow motion. She seemed to be hearing music only meant for her. She smiled down as Jade and Sage waved up at her. Ken suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. Yoji smiled at him, "I know how you feel. It swells you up so big you think you are going to burst open." "Yeah, that's exactly what it feels like."
Josie and Sage Daniels stepped off of the private jet from America. "Whoa, Jos, I just got the worst case of the willies." Sage ran her hands up and down her arms. "We have our orders from Madre." Said Josie, dismissing her sister's comment," We are to find and destroy the group that is causing these riots. They are the ones who have been killing off our finest Japanese based Ferret agents, there is only one left in this region, our good friend, Jade . The name of the group or groups responsible has eluded our online Ferrets, who were stopped short by a company called Kriticker." "So we're going to find this group and make them suffer!" Sage threw an arm into the air, "Whoo-hoo, we're going to have fun tonight!" "No." Josie pushed her arm down, "Remember we are just trying to get information, nothing more. I really don't feel like fighting with any groups in this country, not yet." She ran a hand through her chestnut brown hair, "We also have someone to meet up with here. Jade Prize should be waiting around here somewhere." "Jade's here?" Sage bounced beside Josie, her flaming red hear flying behind her, "Yeah! Now we're REALLY going to party!" "I fear for Tokyo." "Jamming Jet, maybe next time you'll let me fly it." "Pul-eeze! You're the one who crashed the last one in Shanghai." "If it weren't for those weird sounds coming out of the radio, I would have landed perfectly." "Those weird sounds were the control TOWER! They were telling us to land on runway five! But, Nooooooo, you had to land on freaking runway two where the 747 was taking off!" "But, I like the number two! It's so symmetrical!" "Shut-up. Look there's Jade!" Josie Jumped in the air, "JAAAaaaddee!"
"What's up, Burmen?" Asked Omi coming down the stairs, "Is it an assignment?" Burmen popped a tape into the VCR and pushed play.
"Men of Weiss, there have been many cases lately of riots in the streets. Random people who suddenly throw themselves into shop windows and are causing utter chaos in the Tokyo." Persia's voice boomed in the silent basement as his shadowed form lit the room, "We have done extensive back round checks on them and all the subjects were American tourists. They have had no prior psychological conditions before these random acts and are usually found dead afterward. Find who is causing this and destroy them. Deny these dark beasts their tomorrows." "What was that all about," Cried Omi, "I don't get it!" Ken looked up at her, "Do any of the victims have anything else in common other than they are Americans?" "They all had these bottles of medication on them." She turned to the rest of the Weiss team, "It was a medication element that none of our medical staff can identify!" "What about the ones who weren't dead at the scene?" Rumbled Aya, "What happened to them?" "They are being held in one of Kriticker's high security holding facilities for observation. When they were found some were growing hair at an increased rate all over themselves and howling, while others proceeded to kill some of our men and women by severing their jugular veins with their teeth." "Vampires and werewolves? You must be joking, oh beautiful one." Smiled Yoji. "Watch yourself, Yoji, this is serious. All of the Americans died five days after the incidents at max. The police are totally baffled, we need you to find whoever gave these pills to the Americans and stop them before they cause any more trouble." "So even Kriticker doesn't have any suspect so they want us to find them instead." "You got it." Burmen winked, "So are you all in?"
"Got any new information, Jade?" Josie tapped the tip of her boot behind her as they entered the music store. "Only a little, this Kriticker place has been blocking my crew at every turn!" She said flipping the sign to 'closed', "It's driving me mad!" "Are you sure closing your shop in the middle of the day is such a good idea? I mean won't your neighbors notice?" "What neighbors? There's the old woman with the tea shop to the right, the old man with the printing shop to my left-" "And four hotter-than-hell men across the street." Sage licked her lips, "Yeah, baby! Water those plants." "Brazen Cat!" Josie smacked her sister on the head, "We're here on business!" "Business, smuisness! Let me have fun!" She stretched, "You haven't let me have any fun since Rio." "Oh, you mean when you tipped the waiter by putting money in his belt with your teeth?" "Yeah, like that. Well, I'm off." Sage started out the door when Josie grabbed her collar, "Urk!" "And just where do you think you are going?" "To buy some flowers?" "Not, now.later, when we all can go."
"Hey, Yoji, look." Said Ken pointing out the window, "The girl across the street just closed early." "Hmmm, that is odd. There are people in the shop too, I don't recognize them at all." Omi came over from the side carrying an azalea bush, "Well, maybe they are family?" Yoji produced a pair of binoculars out of his back pocket, "No, they don't look like any family of hers.but they do look alike. Hot pair, too. Not as hot as our little neighbor there but still.worthy of my watching." "Oh, Yoji, will you ever learn?" Said Azura from the counter. Little Aya giggled behind her hand, she had only been awake a year, but in that time she had learned a lot about her brothers friends. She looked up at the music shop across the street, for some reason, she knew that something was going to happen soon.
Jade turned out the lights and lead Josie and Sage to the back of the store and pulled down on an oboe. The wall slowly moved revealing a hidden staircase down into the basement. There was scattered couches, a computer in the corner, coffee on the coffee table and a box of Krispy Kremes on the floor in front of a wide screen television. "This is where we get our orders from Madre." Said Jade, "She tells us what she needs to know in Japan and we find it out." "So where is everybody? This place is usually buzzing when I call you. You have to shout to be heard over the phone." "They're all gone, Jos. The entire crew of Ferrets is gone. Charlie, Frankie, Bobby, John and Carl are all gone! Charlie was taken over a year ago, Frankie three months after that, and so on. The police found some of their bodies in the middle of the riots we have been having over here. The people on the news say that they are the ones who caused it. I know them, Josie. They would never do something like that! Madre keeps sending more Ferrets but they all just keep disappearing and then they are either found dead.or not found at all." Sage shivered, "Oooooh, creepy. So do you have any suspects yet?" She cracked her knuckles. "We have two suspect groups: Schwartz, and the other group that we can't find anything else about. That's why we called you two in. Sage, you're the best hacker known to man. We.or rather, I need you to hack into Kriticker's system to see just who this other group is. Jos, I need you to go down to Kriticker itself and bring back all the files you can possibly get your hands on. Did you bring your purse?" Josie held up the purse, "Was there ever a doubt?" Her purse contained almost everything needed for your basic breaking and entering.without all the legal jazz, and various things needed for special occasions. It held a can of hairspray, and most stuff you would find in a normal purse except for her weapon. An expandable quarter staff that with the touch of a button became a deadly naginata, which Josie was very adept at using to her advantage. It looked like a weight bar to the eye except it had two buttons and a switch that made it change its form. She kissed it before putting it back in her purse. "Hey, sis, how did you get that through airport security?" "I love this shirt. It's perfect for flirtation." Sage made a face, "You're sick." "I've also gotten a package from the Padre agents," Said Jade, pulling out a box and dropping it on the sofa, "There are some things in here I think you will find very useful." She pulled out two boxes of jewelry. "Aw, Jade you shouldn't have!" Sage said from the sofa, "We didn't get you anything." "Though I would love to take the credit for this, it wasn't me. Padre is the technical wizards, talk to them." Jade tossed a box to Josie, "These are translators. This way I don't always have to be around. The necklace makes your voice sound like Japanese and the earrings make the Japanese sound like English." "Oh, so very cool!" Sage said in Japanese, touching the necklace, "Hey! I can't understand what I'm saying! That is so weird!" Jade went up to Sage and touched her earring, changing the jewel's color from a pale hunter green to a raging red ruby, "There," She said in Japanese, "How is that?" "Hey! That's neat!" "The best part is you can still understand English with these little babies, along with several other languages, thanks to the Padres." "I think I understand how this works from watching the two of you." Josie touched the deep amber orb of the necklace, changing it to a blazing sapphire, as did the earrings when they were touched, "Well, how is that?" "Perfect, Jos, but we had better dim it. You two should have accents, because there isn't an invention in the world to make you two look anything but American. I'll do all of the adjustments from here." Jade went over to her desk in the corner where the computer was, "I have something else for you too. I made these myself; I plan to send the plans to the Padre unit in Tokyo as soon as possible. These bracelets are tuned into one of the earrings; just don't hold it too close to your head or one of the earrings with change color." "You mean like a magnet and a television set." Josie smiled suddenly understanding. "Right. We start at the Kriticker building tonight, but for now, we have a legitimate business. I can't tell how many times the government of Japan has investigated us. Here is the scoop; you two are my newest workers from the states." She started to lead the girls back up the stairs when she abruptly turned, "Oh, and here are your uniforms."
"Say," Said Aya looking out the window, "Have you ever realized how many times our neighbor has switched employees?" Yoji set down a plant on the table, "What do you mean, I've never noticed anything out of the ordinary before." "You wouldn't. I mean that since she moved her business in, I've only seen workers Hired, never have I seen anyone Fired!" "Aya's right, Yoji," said Omi, "No one who's come out of that building has ever come out looking dejected, like you would look if you were fired from a job, but somehow she still keeps loosing people, something is going on." "Omi, can you tap into their computer files?" "Awww, why do I always have to do stuff like that?" Ken ruffled Omi's hair, "Because you're just so good at it." Omi tossed up his arm in acceptance, "Fine, maybe it can help us in our mission."
"Hey, Jos, Jade! Those hot guys from across the street are watching us. It's almost kind of creepy, especially that red-head, he just freaks me out." Sage pointed at Aya. "Aw, their fine. So they like girls, so what?" "Hmmm," said Josie, "I wonder, Jade, why is it that four men can tend a flower shop and not go flabby." "They work out?" Suggested Sage. "No," Shrugged Jade, "I've never seen them leave and come back sweaty.and believe me, I would notice." She helped Sage tie the blue smock that said 'I Love Music' on it behind her back. "I could check them out on the Internet and see what turns up!" Sage pulled away from Jade and headed toward the back of the store, mumbling about how much she hated uniforms. Jade and Josie laughed behind their hands until the bell on the door rang. Nonchalantly, Josie touched her necklace and made as if to put on her earrings.
Yoji and Ken were chosen to go to the music shop to investigate what had happened to the other employees who had worked there for the past four months. Yoji gladly volunteered, "Hi there, you pretty little thing you. How have you been?" He leaned over the counter looking straight into Jade's eyes. He served as a distraction while Ken put a bug on the doorknob, Burmen had insisted. "J-just fine, Yoji, and you?" Jade played with her own real necklace, her face flushing with happiness. Josie just shook her head and accidentally bumped into her with an oboe, "Jade, who are your friends?" "Oh! I'm sorry, Jos. This is Yoji Kudo and his friend, Ken Hidaka. They help run the flower shop across the street." Josie looked at the two in front of her, they were both very attractive, but there was just something about them.she couldn't put her finger on it. She smiled and offered her hand to shake, "Hi, my name is Josie, my sister and I just got here from the states." Ken raised an eyebrow, 'They're American' he thought, but aloud he said, "What brings you to Japan?" "Jade is my best friend, she has had some unfortunate complications with the former employees and asked us to come and help her out. My sister really wanted to see Japan, so I figured I would get to see Tokyo and get to see my friend, what could be better?" Yoji looked over his shoulder facing the fake wall that lead downstairs, "Where is your sister?" "Oh, she's upstairs unpacking her things. She's has to hurry, we have to get her into school soon. I won't have her slacking off just because were helping Jade out." Josie saw Jade hurry over to the wall that Yoji was so interested in and start to polish the flute that was there. Josie prayed that Sage wouldn't come up anytime soon. "How old is your sister?" asked Ken, interested. "Just 17, she's a good kid though." Josie walked behind the glass counter, watching him. "You seem mighty young yourself, Josie. Why aren't your parents with you?" "I am 19, mister know it all, and quite capable of handling things myself!" She felt her face grow hot, she didn't like thinking about her parents, and the horrible way they had died. Josie turned away then, bussing herself with the reeds that were only sold behind the counter in the glass case. She closed her eyes, biting the inside of her lip to steady herself. When she opened them again, Ken was looking through the glass at her. "I didn't mean any disrespect. I just thought someone as cute as you shouldn't be in the wilds of Japan alone." He smiled at her as she blushed. Jade heard what sounded like Sage's footsteps on the stairs that lead to the second floor coming down..but, Sage was downstairs, how did she manage that? Later she found out that Jade had a secret staircase that led to the third floor for just such occasions. "Hey, Jos, you wouldn't believe what I found-" She stopped short as she entered the room, "Hiya! I'm Sage Daniels, aren't you two of the hot guys across the street?" Josie could have killed her; she could have absolutely killed her! You don't tell men they are hot, it just wasn't done! But, Josie did take pleasure in seeing the color rise in Ken's face. Yoji just laughed, "Well, aren't you cute?" He gave her one of his thousand watt smiles that usually melted any normal girl. Sage wasn't your normal girl, though. "Jos, I found your flute in my suitcase. Remember how you thought you lost it on the loooong plane ride here? You thought Mice would be surfing with the case right now." She smiled, "But I found it!" "That's great, Sis! Now I can play without paying rent." Josie smiled on the outside, but on the inside she went cold, Sage was talking in code. There was a problem with another hacker on the computer. "Just what are you implying, Little Miss Josie?" Glared Jade. "Oh, nothing, just that you're as frugal as Ebenezer Scrooge." She smiled at Ken, " She wouldn't give anything away for free." "Oh, you LIAR! How could you say something so mean about your best friend, who, by the way, is giving you a job and a place to stay." "Let's go, Ken." Said Yoji out of the side of his mouth, "I sense a cat fight."
As soon as they were out the door, Josie, Sage, and Jade erupted into laughter. "I-I've never seen that look on Yoji's face before, you completely blew him off! It was the funniest thing I've ever seen! But what was all that business with the flute?" Josie's face got serious as she put a hand to her lips and mouthed, "Bug." Sage picked up on it right away, "Oh, Jos was just worried that the airline would loose it, so she put it in my suitcase." She winked at Jade, "You know how much she worries." Josie pointed at the doorknob, pulling out a pen. She scraped the lock on the door and brought the offensive listening device to the glass counter, motioning for Jade and Sage to follow her to look at it. "You're right," Jade said a bit sadly, "Josie is such a worry-wart" Josie crushed the device on the pen's top onto the glass counter.
Omi threw the head phones off his head as the bug was crushed. He looked up at the rest of the group, "They knew it was there the whole time! Whoever they are, they're good." "Awww," Groaned Yoji, "I was hoping we wouldn't have to make enemies with this one." "We still might not, we don't know if they are the ones causing the rioting monsters or not." Ken pointed out. "Don't get your hopes up." Murmured Aya. "Did you find out anything by tapping into the computer, Omi?" Asked Yoji, leaning over the screen. "I managed to download the employee file, but only half of it. Someone else was on that computer over there and they were hacking to over here! I had to stop them as fast as I could. They scrambled the other half of the data that I hadn't gotten to yet. Aya, did Burmen leave that list of names with you? I want to check them against the one's I have." Aya handed over the list to Omi who had already pulled up the information he had gotten. "These are the same names." Omi gasped, "The other hacker got the vertical half of what we needed but take a look at this." He moved so the others could see, "They are all the same American names with either a 'K' or an 'M' next to them. What do you guys think it means?"
"There was another Hacker?! How did he manage to get into the system? We're supposed to have the most advanced PC in the world here!" Jade paced the basement floor. "I caught him in time, Jade. He only got half the info he was looking for, but then again, so did we." "What, do you mean Sage?" Josie moved closer to the computer to get a closer look. "I mean we were right to suspect this Kriticker company. They are hiding something very big that the rest of the Japanese government has no clue about. The other guy cut me out before I could find out anything really useful on the computer. Jos, you have to get into that place and get the hard copies for us. Without them we'll never find anything out." "I'm going tonight, so no worries about that. Jade you have to watch that flower shop tonight. Let me know on the bracelet if there is any, and I mean ANY activity." "I was planning on doing that anyway." Jade smiled at Sage, "Care to share a popcorn with me and my binoculars?" "Geez! You're as bad as Sage is! Just don't let me get caught, okay? I don't like to fight." "But, if you do have to fight we'll have the music ready" Said Sage. Jade's eyebrow arched, "Music?" "She fights best with a beat." "My favorite is the first soundtrack for Moulan Rouge, there are some songs on there that I really like." Josie smiled before she started talking again, "Is there anything else I should know about this Kriticker place before I go in." "There should be armed guards on the first floor, but you know how rent-a-cops act. There should only be two of them so have Sage cook up a sleeping potion." "Wait. You need a sleeping potion?" Sage's eyes gleamed with excitement, "I need a certain type of flower in order to make it." "What kind of flower?" Josie's eyebrow arches slightly. "An orchid bud, we have all the rest of the ingredients here." She smiled as she stood, "You know what that means.Lets go to the flower shop!" Sage looked hopefully at Josie. Josie's eyes smiled down at her sister, "You know," she said thinking of Ken, "I think that is a wonderful idea." "Plus, we get to plant a bug on them this time." Smiled Jade, "But we had better bring two, one in an obvious place like on a plant or a door, and the other somewhere more discrete." "I'll handle the second one, Jade, you and Sage figure out where to put the first." "Well," Said Sage, "I'm going to keep one of them busy trying to get that plant. Meanwhile, Jade can become very interested with a plant in one of those ceramic pots and put the blinking bogus on the back of it." "You're really smart when you aren't high on sugar." Josie patted her on the head and turned toward the staircase, "Well, what are we waiting for?"
"You need to learn to keep your mind objective, Yoji." Said Aya as they returned to the main floral room, "You let yourself be distracted by women." "You wound me, Aya. I'll have you know I keep very objective, but if a roll in the hay gets the information you need, then why not?" "You were just lucky about that wall on the far side of the music store. Any radar could have told us that five times before you came back!" "Now, now, boys." Said little Aya, "No fighting in the flower shop, we have customers coming this way." The Weiss men looked up to see Jade, Sage, and Josie striding their way. They immediately moved in different directions so each of them could watch them from a different angle. Omi went over by the orchids; Yoji busied himself by watering the plants by the door, Ken went behind the register, and Aya watched out of the corner of his eye from the rare flower case. The girls came in giggling about something or other as they split in three different directions. Sage headed straight for the orchids, winking at Omi who gulped. She started her search for the perfect thing to put some large, burly, guards to sleep. Jade gave Yoji a seductive grin before she went over to one of the displays, handling all of the ceramic pots. "Can I help you at all, Jade?" Yoji said behind her giving her a jolt. "No, thank you. I'm just looking for a present for my mother. She always loved flowers in interesting pots. I was thinking of painting one for her before I ship it." Yoji's eyes narrowed slightly. Jade had told her before that her mother was dead, so why was she changing her story now? Josie leaned over the counter and smiled at Ken, "Hi. How are you doing?" "Fine, thanks. Is there anything I could help you with?" "Well, there are lots of things you could help me with, but not right now." Ken's eyes got big as Josie laughed, "You're fun to tease, Mr. Ken. But, really Sage and I are just looking for a gift for our little sister." "You have another sister?" "Yeah, she's ten. She misses us a lot; she always says so in her letters. We were also looking for something to liven up the music store. It's kind of dull in the upper rooms. Any suggestions?" "Well, I've always liked gentians myself." "Love and power; a strong meaning, Mr. Ken." She stood considering, "I think I just might buy some." Josie looked down at Ken's watch and tapped the top of it. "What was that for?" Ken pulled back his arm, carefully examining it. "It's something my mom always did. It's supposed to bring good luck to the wearer of the watch." She smiled again, "So where are those gentians?"
After they left, the Weiss men went over what the girls had done. They had purchased one ceramic potted plant, two gentian plants, and a young orchid that hadn't bloomed yet. "What's their angle."wondered Aya, "They didn't just come into this shop to buy plants." "Jade was looking at those plants a little too thoroughly for my taste." Said Ken, "She could have put something on one of them." "A bug for a bug, makes sense." Murmured Yoji, "But it seems such a waste to throw them all away." "Maybe there is a way to detect them," Said Omi, "You know, like a light or something." Aya nodded in agreement and went over to the wall to turn off the light. The room bathed in darkness except for a steady blinking red light on one of the ceramic pots. "I really was hoping we were wrong, too." Yoji pouted as he brought the blinking light plant to the counter. "Well, I'll give this to them," Ken sat in one of the chairs, "They are fantastic at distraction. The elder girl had me almost completely convinced. She said she wanted to send some flowers to her ten year old little sister. She even gave me an address to send the flowers." "Hey, Ken, let me see that address, maybe I can find out something." Omi reached over and got the little slip of paper from Ken. Aya scraped the bug off of the potted plant and whispered at it, "We will get you, and your death is near." Then he smashed it under his foot.
"Wow, violent little booger, isn't he?" Said Sage from the computer. "Somehow, I think it's more than that." Murmured Josie, standing, "It's a good thing that we planted that other bug to actually tape them." Jade tilted her head to one side, "Just where did you put that thing, Jos?"
"On Ken's watch. I figure he has to wear it wherever he goes right, so we should hear a lot. Maybe even the added bonus of shower songs if it's as waterproof as I think it is." She smiled. "You're bad." Sage said wagging a finger at her, "But now that I have the bud I needed, I can make that sleeping potion for you." "Just how powerful will it be?" Asked Jade, "I mean we wouldn't want the guards to wake up as soon as she gets one ninja foot in the door." "Five minutes." "WHAT?! We need it to last as long as-" "For a whale. For a human, they should be out for a day at least." Sage smiled, "Is that long enough, Jos?"
"Perfect. Now, Jade, to we have any certain letter of the alphabet?" "Well, from this info that Sage got, there are three letter couplets that are continuously mentioned." She pointed at the screen over Sage's shoulder, "Swa, Ame, and Wei. These are the letter couplets I want you to look for." She nodded shortly smiling, "Right. Me and my purse will get in and out fast."
That night, the street was silent as a dark form emerged from the back of the music shop. Aya narrowed his eyes and turned to follow her to were ever she was going. He breezed through the living room, the others staring after him. Yoji stood, "We should follow him."
Josie jumped onto the back of a waiting motorcycle, she was in full ninja gear, her purse slung over her shoulder. Under her mask she smiled, she always did enjoy this part. Madre had had her sneak in and steal many things of national value that was stolen from the U.S. It wasn't really stealing, figuring that they were stolen from America in the first place, but it was still as fun as what she was doing before. Before, she was a thief who would steal anything and everything for the right price. She told herself it was for Sage and their life together without their parents. This was how she put Sage through some of the hardest schools to get into, all the while making sure to cover her own ass. But it only takes one screw up to get caught. That screw up almost landed her in prison, where she couldn't do anything to further her sisters' education. That was when Madre had hired her and her sister on, because, unbeknownst to Josie, Sage had been a hacker for most of her high school career. Fortunately, their youngest sister had been put into foster care and was unaffected by all of this. Josie felt tears in her eyes when she thought of Kat. She was a good kid; Josie swore to herself that she would find her again. After Madre was done with them, after they found the group behind all this shit with the riots. She smiled to herself, 'Soon, Kat, real soon.'
Schuldich turned to Nagi before turning the corner in his red sports car, "It seems we have someone on to us. Brad should be interested in this, figuring he is an American himself. We'll see if he feels like starting another riot." The wind whipped his red hair around his face. He smiled to himself, he liked the sense of power he had when he read minds. He knew this girl now. He could take her and use him against one of the members of Weiss. They would pay for trying to kill he and his companions.and almost succeeding. "Should we follow her?" Nagi stared straight ahead, no emotion at all in his eyes. Nagi really hadn't felt anything since Tot's death. He had been running mostly on autopilot for over a year now. It was starting to get hard to tell what he was like before Nagi lost her. He had almost felt hope of joining her when they were all underwater, the building collapsing around them. Curse his 'gift'! It was so self-preserving, so self- righteous, it hadn't even given him the right to die and be with Tot forever. Schuldich elbowed the boy next to him, "Hey, kid, snap out of it." He tossed Nagi a cell phone, "Call Crawford and give him a heads up. Though he'll probably know without you saying a word."
Josie pulled up to the dark building that Jade had pointed out on a map on Sage's computer. "Your running smooth, Jos." Said Jade from her wrist, "No movement from across the way at all." "You're certain?" "Yeah, why?" "I just saw a red corvette twist round that last bend fast. Now I know that Japan is growing in the economy department, but how many people in this country can afford something like that?" "You have a good point, Josie. Just keep you wits about you, okay?" "Got it, put the music on for me. I want to get pumped if I have to fight." Josie pulled the bike up to the side of the building where Sage had found the Janitorial entrance. She had to admit her sister was a really good hacker. Josie smiled as she heard the beginnings of the soundtrack. She opened it up with a new lock-picking instrument that Jade had made on momentary notice. Jade always had been the wizard when it came to gadgets. Her mind emptied as she finished with the security systems. They were now on play instead of record. The guards at the desk were watching the rounds from earlier that day.
Ken watched as the form went silently into the building. As he looked up to survey the area, he felt a strange pull toward it. Almost as if he should know it, but Ken had never been there before, he couldn't explain this feeling. Then he saw a movement out of the corner of his eye. Out of the front door stepped a familiar face.Manx. She was holding a file as she walked to her car. Yoji walked up behind Ken, "Well, well, well, if it isn't Manx. That must mean." Omi's eyes went wide, "This building must be Kriticker! But how did the ninja know it was here? " "No time for that," Aya rumbled, "We have to follow the ninja to make sure she doesn't get what she is after." The other members of Weiss nodded, they were agreed. Nothing must happen to Kriticker. It was the only really stable thing they had. It had always been there from the very beginning. Stealthily, they followed behind the ninja, following her to see where she was going.
Josie looked up at the air duct, perfect for above guard bombing. She smiled as she jumped up into the duct, barley making a sound and replacing the grate before Weiss came around the corner behind her. She made sure that her quarry was not too far away from her currant position, She could hear them talking in the corridor ahead. She smiled as she got directly above them and dropped Sages sleepy time bombs.
Aya scowled, they lost her. He was certain now that these three girls were the targets. His eyes narrowed as he heard the familiar sound of two falling bodies. They sped ahead to find the ruminants of a greenish gas hanging in the air above the two guards bodies. "Dammit!" He snarled, "Take their pulse to see if they are alive. We'll split up, we're more likely to find the ninja than if we are together." Aya rounded the corner and was gone, leaving Omi, Yoji and Ken looking bewildered at each other. "We have got to get him on decaf." Yoji shook his head as he turned in the opposite direction and was off. "Are the guards okay, Omi-chan?" Ken looked concerned down at the two fallen guards. "They are.sleeping?" "Good that means they're alive." Ken turned left and headed down the hallway, there was no time to waste, that ninja was up to no good and it was up to him and the others to stop her. Omi was left alone in the hallway with the guards when he heard a small sound. Instantly he was up on his feet, his daggers ready for whoever might be there. He twirled to see two more ninjas staring him in the face. Omi threw his darts at them with lightning speed, but to his dismay, they both dodged them. He was about to let loose another assault when he heard a ping at his feet. Looking down, he saw it was a similar bomb to the ones they had used on the guards earlier! Omi covered his mouth and tried to turn away when he heard the crack of a bullwhip! It stung slightly as it wrapped around his legs and pulled them out from under him. Omi's breath whooshed out of him like an escaped bird, he gasped for air only to breath in that strange green mist. The taller ninja was a slow moving blur as Omi squinted at her. The ninja seemed to be wagging a negative finger at him. It almost reminded him of a mother or an aunt scolding him. Yes, he thought just before he passed out, a mother or an aunt, or a girlfriend.
Jade and Sage had followed the flower shop quartet, not being able to reach Josie on her bracelet. They left in ninja suits, just like Josie had done earlier, and followed them to Kriticker. They had to keep the boys busy in order to give Josie the time she needed. Jade motioned for Sage to go down the opposite hall after she had finished tying up Omi. Sage pouted through the mask, she wanted to tie up Omi. Jade gave her a look and pointed down the hall. Sage turned and strode down the hall; hopefully she would find another guard to take her frustration out on. Josie opened the door to the records room silently. The room was filled with filing cabinets whose tops touched the ceiling. She set her jaw and went to work looking for the first letter couplet, Ame. She bent over the files, her eyes searching the headings. 'There!' she thought triumphantly, 'This is the only file with that heading.' She pushed the file into her large purse and went on to find the next couplet.' She frowned as she searched in vain for the 'Swa' file. Knowing she didn't have much time, Josie went to find the final couplet.
Yoji slammed the door open, ready for enemy fire. When nothing came he flipped on the lights. He was met with two more fallen guards. After quickly checking their pulse, he searched the room for any sign of the mysterious female ninja. He didn't want to believe Aya's theory about the music girl, but all the evidence was stacked against her. She almost reminded him of Auska. The way she moved, the attitude she talked, and they were almost identical. But, there was one major difference, he had killed Auska, and he wasn't sure he was ready to kill Jade. Yoji looked sadly at the guards on the ground. It didn't seem like he had a choice in the matter. If Aya was right, then they would have no choice but to kill them. But, still his heart wasn't in it. Yoji turned around just in time to see a flash of black out of the corner of his eye. His hand went to the wire button and zipped out. The ninja woman jumped just in time so the deadly wire went under her feet. With the speed of a cat, she turned and had her hand in a similar position as Yoji's. Yoji dodged just in time to miss the thin strand of metal that sliced through the air toward him. "Ah, a woman with taste," He said, trying to throw her off guard, "We'll just see who wins this match." With a bit of bravado, the woman took a stance and pointed at herself. Yoji would have laughed if he had been sure that he would win.
Jade smiled in her suit, she would beat him hands down. He just didn't have the right kind of stuff. It was a shame that she had to fight him, but she had to protect Josie. This mission was vital to Madre, plus, she had a personal grudge with whoever had been kidnapping the ferrets. Her crew had been the closest thing to a family she had, and she wasn't going to let this go without some sort of reconciliation. She wrapped the end of her wire around her dagger necklace, and pressed down the dragon's nose on it. The smaller dagger-shaped jewelry grew in her hand until it was the size of a normal dagger. She had it created as one of her many inventions she would have to send to the padre's. Now the wire became a double weapon, good for long and short range. She was just about to get in a good hit when her bracelet started talking, "Hey, you guys, could you change the song, I hate this one." Yoji's eyes went wide as he looked around for the voice. Not taking her eyes off him for a second, Jade spoke through gritted teeth into the little circlet around her wrist in English, "Hon, we have some serious bovine fecal matter going on out here. Do you have a bogy in the room your in? Before you answer, turn off your translator." She leapt out of the way of Yoji's wire and up into a ventilator shaft above her head. Jade slammed the lid and edged backward in time for his wire to miss piecing her. She gulped quietly and turned her attention back to the bracelet. "No, chick, no bogies. Are you telling me the flower boys came after me? I thought you guys were going to warn me!?" "Your communicator wasn't getting the signal to you for some reason, only the music. So we decided to give you some back up. Three against four pretty much evens it up. We already got one; Lil bit is finishing up with him and is going to meet back up with me. Do you have the files?" Her heart pounded as she heard a sound in front of her, "I have some business to attend to." "Yes and no, I'll explain later. Just, for God's sake, don't get killed." Josie looked down at the file marked Wei, "We are dealing with some interesting people here." "Got it," said the bracelet, "Get out with the files you have ASAP, got me. Me and Lil bit will meet you outside, we already have things set up for a nice smooth getaway." Josie heard a few more bangs and a clang. "Okay, I really have to go now. I'll see you in five. OOOFFF! Better make that fifteen."
Josie nodded and touched the necklace again; if she was caught she wanted to make sure she was understood. She stuffed the remaining file into her purse just as the door behind her creaked open. There, standing in the door way was Ken. He wore what looked like aviator goggles on his head and large gloves on his hands. He flexed his hands and out shot knives that made the gloves look like claws. He walked toward her, his eyes steady and cold. Josie reached behind her back between her shoulder blades and got her weapon. The metal bar felt cold in her hands as she slid the black safety button across and pushed the green button in. The bar extended into a metal quarterstaff. She whirled this new weapon around her with ease as Ken advanced. Fortunately for Josie, one of her favorite songs had just come on. Lady Marmalade was playing strong and hot in her ear, begging to be used.
Ken found himself face to face with the ninja. He wasn't expecting her to be ready for him as he flexed his fisted hands. As he walked slowly toward her, he realized that she was much taller than Japanese woman he had met. Where had he seen height like that before? The weapon she had looked a little like a Bo, but much longer and metal. It had extended before his very eyes. 'This is going to be a real challenge.' He realized as she whirled it in front of her. He would have to somehow get between that thing and her in order to do what he had to. Ken ran at her with a yell, one of his fists aimed at her stomach the other aimed at her leg. When she looked up at him, she had fire in her eyes, daring him to try. He slashed at her and found himself met with the metal of the pole, not the flesh of a human. He looked up at her, her eyes held something he didn't expect to see, challenge. Not the anger of being barged in on, not the cold stare of death, but a challenge. And on top of that He could have sworn she was humming as the metal pole cracked into his shins. Ken clenched his teeth in pain as he jabbed forward with his clawed hand. The ninja nimbly leapt over him using the metal weapon as a pole vault. This song was perfect. It made her moves fluid as Josie faced Ken again. He was indeed formidable, but so was the next song. She smiled under her mask. Without knowing it, her entire body took on a different position, now, her moves where faster with more of a beat. She resisted the urge to throw her head back and laugh.
Jade had her hands full with Yoji when the music flowed into her ears too. She smiled and realized why Jos liked to fight with it. It made things like thinking about one's next move much easier. She threw the dagger over his shoulder, expecting him to dodge like he did. Then, using the dagger as a weight, she managed to get it around his neck, the dagger landing in her opposite hand. She had no plans of killing him, just making him incapacitated. Yoji clutched at his neck striving for air. Her face felt pale as she watched him fall to the floor of the air duct. Making sure he was out cold, she gingerly placed him on the floor of the room below them. Yoji would wake up with one hell of a bruise, but at least he would be alive. She strode out of the room just as the song ended and the next started.
Sage met up with Jade on the way back out the back door, they were well on their way when suddenly they were faced with a very dangerous looking Aya. He narrowed his eyes as he caught sight of the girls at the end of the hallway. Sage and Jade looked to each other and nodded, they had no time for this. Sage threw one of her bombs directly at Aya, who blocked it with ease, sending it hurtling back at her. The girls managed to dodge and put on their gas masks before it detonated. With a growl, Aya covered his mouth and nose with a sleeve before ducking into an empty room. Sage snagged a broom from a nearby janitor's closet. Sliding it between the door handles, Sage locked a very peeved Aya in the room.
Josie was panting as she stared down Ken, she could not afford to lose this fight. She had managed to stave him off with the quarterstaff, keeping him at a comfortable distance, but no further than that. He wasn't giving her any room to escape. This fight had lasted for three songs already, and she needed to get out of there so she could meet up with the girls. Her chin lifted in challenge as he rushed her again, one hand low, the other hand high. She cursed silently; she could only block one of his hands. Not wanting to be gutted like some fish, she opted for the low hand. Ken's right hand met with the metal of the pole, while the other went past the hell object and sunk deep into her flesh by her collarbone. He heard her gasp in pain as his claw came away bloodied. Before he knew it, the pole cracked against his scull. White-hot pain flashed for a moment before he looked back to where she was standing. The ninja was gone, empty space filling the spot she had stood a moment earlier. Ken looked around him, she could still be around, and then he noticed the breeze blowing the panels of a newly opened window. He stuck his head out just in time to see her leap into a waiting truck and she was gone.
"Oooooo." Josie groaned as Sage and Jade patched her shoulder, "Be careful, will you? That hurts, damn it!" "Well, if you would stay still, it wouldn't hurt so much." Sage said placing the bandaging tap gingerly against her sister's skin. "What made you think you could take him on without help?" Jade stepped back, looking at the finished work, "Well, it isn't art, but it'll hold." "Groovy," Josie reached into her purse with her good hand and handed Jade the files, "I couldn't find everything, but two out of three ain't bad." Jade opened the Ame file first. Her eyes narrowed in concentration as she read what she now held, "Oh, shit." "What's up?" Sage looked over Jade's shoulder at the file. It had pictures of the ferrets, in order of disappearance, and pictures of monsters, "What the hell is this Kriticker place trying to pull. Werewolves and vampires don't exist!" "You can't read this, Sage. This document is saying that the monsters are the ferrets in reality! That some sort of medication turned them into monsters, but that is impossible. It says here that they were each found with bottles of medication. They didn't take any meds. Ferrets are tested to be sure that they don't need any." "Sounds like someone is really screwing with our people," said Josie with a sneer, "And I don't like it one bit."
That morning, the music store remained closed. The flower shop was open, but it was only operating with a skeleton crew, Little Aya, Azura, and the old woman with the cat. Both the men and the girls were recuperating from last night's events. Each group was dealing with their own flashes of pain. Neither group having the energy to look out the window at the flashy red sports car parked along the street.
Schuldich could have laughed. They had done much damage to EACH OTHER! Schwartz didn't have to do a thing. He smiled as he and Crawford stepped out of the car and onto the street in front of the music store. Crawford frowned slightly as he noticed the closed sign. "Not like a thing like that could stop us, eh?" "Shut up. I want these three Americans as our next.guinea pigs. See to it that they are captured accordingly." "Of course, that's the fun part." Schuldich smiled, "Should I call Nagi and Farfello?" "There should be no need for them. You should be able to handle them yourself. Try to make as little noise as possible with this." "Do you want them tonight?" "No, take your time. Just get them to the lab."
Azura's eyes widened as she recognized the men who got out of the red sports car. Her breath catching in her throat, she frantically went to find Aya. Little Aya took over the register, not knowing the danger. Azura ran as fast as her feet would take her. She had to get to Aya; he would know what to do. She started shouting and pounding on his door. "Aya! Aya! They're back! They are back from the dead! Aya!" Tears welled up behind her eyes as she screamed at the door. "Calm down, Azura-chan," Aya said opening the door, "What is this about someone being back from the dead?" "Those men, the ones who kidnapped me and Little Aya! They are across the street!" She shivered, "I think they are after those nice girls." Aya growled and pushed past her, "Get Little Aya and hide in my room until I say it is safe." "Okay," Azura nodded heading back to the main flower shop, "I thought you killed those men, Aya." "So did I, Azura-chan, so did I." Aya had to hurry, if Schwartz was alive, he and the others were going to have some trouble ahead.
Aya had gotten down to the flower shop when he found himself faced with Manx. "Aya, good, I was just looking for you. We've found your target." "I've no time now, Manx! Schwartz is back!" "I know, they are your target." "What?" "Do I really have to repeat myself? Schwartz is the ones responsible for all the riots. We think they are responsible for the recent break in as well." Manx lead Aya downstairs. "Manx you don't seem to understand, two of them are outside right now!" "None of you are in any condition to fight right now." She pushed him onto the couch. "I hate to say it, but she is right, Aya." Said Omi from the computer, "We just don't have the man-power yet. I've also found out more about our mysterious ninja women." Manx looked up surprised, "Ninja women?" Aya sneered and crossed his arms, "THEY are the ones who broke in last night. You're cameras are in need of serious repair if you thought those were men!" "The one I fought did have the most hypnotic pair of-" Ken smacked Yoji on the back of the head. "Don't be vulgar, Yoji." Said Manx coolly, "Well, that puts a whole new light on the robbery. But Kriticker is certain that Schwartz is the cause of the riots. They must have stumbled upon some of Takitori's old notes and made some sort of monster making potion in pill form." "They might be working together." Said Omi from the computer, "I haven't been able to pull up anything on the girls. Not passports, no previous addresses, social security number, nothing! The only thing that seems real is that address that Ken gave me." He held the slip of paper he had gotten from Ken, "There really is a little girl there, answering to the name of 'Kat'. She is ten years old and living in special foster care. I haven't been able to figure out what special means." "Good work, Omi. " Said Manx, "Keep digging. I'll inform Kriticker about the ninja women."
Schuldich tapped gently on the glass of the front door. Josie hissed in pain as she sat up in her room. Jade and Sage had to choose today to go to the market. She pressed the necklace and earrings as she walked slowly downstairs. She was humming a song from the soundtrack; they always seemed to be playing in her head. As she got to the bottom of the staircase she eyed the stranger carefully. She didn't trust him. You are not afraid. Schuldich thought at her. Jade snorted at the thought; Of course she wasn't afraid of him. He was just another customer at the door. Her chin lifted as she looked up at him through the glass, "I'm sorry sir, we are closed today. Come back tomorrow."
"I just had a question. Would you please open just for a question?" His voice. There was something different about his voice. "No, sir, please come back tomorrow." The music was flowing through her head again. She turned away from the door. "Wait." Normally that word wouldn't stop her, but for some reason, it did, "Yes?" "Please?" This was going to be harder than Schuldich had originally thought; there was something different about her. She wasn't responding, as she should be. "I am sorry, I don't speak much Japanese. Music store closed. You come back tomorrow." Josie turned again, smiling as she saw the C.D. player on the counter. 'Yay! Now I can listen to this song in my head.' She turned on the music and ignored Schuldich's insistent mind control. Her feelings were now wrapped up in the song, overpowering her thoughts. Schuldich scowled as he heard the music in his mind. He was about to pound on the door again when he felt it. It flowed with the music, so genuine, it was something Schuldich had never felt before. Power, far beyond anything he had ever experienced before. He watched her dance around the room to the music now playing in her ears. She almost flew, a smile on her face as she mouthed the words. This girl could feel the meaning behind the words and somehow she sent them shooting through Schuldich. He mouthed one word against the glass, "Josie." "Is something the matter, Schuldich?" Said Crawford from behind him. "No, nothing. I'll get her to the lab." "Good. Just don't get caught up." He sneered at the girl behind the glass, but not before feeling a pull of emotion. Crawford immediately blocked, being around some of the most successful psychics in the world, he knew how to stop such things as emotions.
Ken looked up from the flower he was working on. He looked over at the music store, a small smile lighting on his lips. He was glad to know that they weren't the targets. That Aya had been wrong after all. Then a feeling swelled in his heart. It was so big it almost hurt. Ken gasped as his heart was suddenly filled with love. Not just something you felt for an attractive woman, no, this was much more. Then, he saw her. Josie. She was sitting in the windowsill, facing the wind. It blew her hair behind her. She seemed to move in slow motion. She seemed to be hearing music only meant for her. She smiled down as Jade and Sage waved up at her. Ken suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. Yoji smiled at him, "I know how you feel. It swells you up so big you think you are going to burst open." "Yeah, that's exactly what it feels like."