It's baaaaack!! Sorry...took it down for a while for reorganisation of the chapters...So fear not, dear reviewers, it's back, cleaner, shorter, less confusing and finally finished!!! YAY!!
So enjoy! Just for reminders, italics are for flashbacks//----//indicates telepathy...
Just for
The man was sitting in the airport lobby, waiting for the pasengers to come through the gate. He looked casual enough, but underneath he was jittery, keeping a close eye out for the people he was looking for. Kritiker had been informed weeks beforehand that Eszett would soon make its move, and all available agents had been given one simple misson : be on the lookout for any Eszett agents arriving in Japan. No-one knew quite what Eszett was planning, but seen the increasing actions the group was taking, it boded something big. Eszett had been lying quite low for the past years, so something very important was afoot, perhaps even the ressurection of their Leader...
At last, the plane was announced, and the Kritiker agent put the book he was pretending to read back onto the chair and waited. Soon enough, there was the man of the photo, surrounded by his bodyguards. They disappeared into the heart of the airport towards the exits, and the agent slipped into a corner, taking his cell phone; he was just about to dial Kritiker headquarters, when he slumped onto the floor like a stringless puppet.
No-one saw the crimson flow from under him, nor the spectacled man in an impeccable cream suit put the gun back into his pocket and walk away, a slight smile on his face, before getting into a dark car and driving off.
The car drove for a while, from the Narita airport to the busy Tokyo suburb; it drove towards the Parliament buildings and parked. As Crawford started to get out of his car, his cell phone started to ring, the most annoying, ear-splitting tone, and Crawford almost jumped. Who had played around with his phone? Easy question, easy answer... He couldn't See everything, after all...He took his phone and answered in his sourest voice.
-Schuldig.
- How are you doing, fearless leader? came the German's nasal voice.
Even through the phone, Crawford could easily guess that the German was wearing his usual annoying grin.
- What about your target?
- And I love you too...
- Schuldig!
- You really should get that stick out of your arse, Brad... And yes, the target is dead, dead and dead. Anything else, or can I go and get laid?
- Yes there is, so no, you can't. Nagi's sending you the details by e-mail. Where's Farfarello?
- I'm not his keeper Brad... Okay, don't go critical on me! Farfy's somewhere around, probably ripping our target's throat out...I'll bring him back with me after the next job.
- Fine. Be back before tomorrow morning, Mr Takatori wants to talk to all of us.
And Crawford hung up. He had a meeting with their employer in a minute, and the last thing he had needed before that was a reminder that Schuldig even existed. And of course he knew he drove Crawford nuts, that was the whole point.
ooOOoo
Schuldig smirked and walked back into the alley-way where Farfarello was finishing their mission. At the telepath's approach, he looked up, splatters of blood everywhere.
- Don't take too long Farfy...we haven't finished yet; Brad's sent us on another mission.
- You don't seem very happy about it..., remarked Farfarello, slowly flaying the fortunately dead ex-Kritiker agent's face.
Schuldig sighed and sat down on a garbage-can, taking care not to stain his clothes.
- Two choice activities on a Saturday night : go and get drunk, stoned, laid or all three, or kill people who aren't even worth the effort...I have to walk around all of Tokyo, in these clothes that I haven't taken off since last night, waiting for a idiotic agent to show the end of his nose and not even notice that he's been followed for the last ten minutes, and, to crown it all, I get to walk around with you.
Farfarello looked at Schuldig, and noticed the slight grin on the German's face.
- What does that imply?
- I was just thinking about that poor agent you've just flayed... What do you do to people who annoy you? And I'm not talking about God or sister Ruth...
- I don't know... No-one's ever really annoyed me before.
The duo started to walk towards Schuldig's bright scarlet car, still talking. The only person whom Farfarello didn't mind talking about God to him, was Schuldig, who had as much reason to hate God as he did.
- My revenge against God is not just for me, it is for all those who have believed in him. As for Sister Ruth...she was just unfinished business. The only person who may have annoyed me since is you.
Schuldig laughed at that, and opened the door to his car. Farfarello smiled, a lopsided grin, and got in next to the telepath as the car sped off.
ooOOoo
Crawford arrived at Takatori's office and waited. There was no need to hurry, after all, this was going to be another of those completely meaningless meetings, in which Takatori believed he was giving orders, instead of comprehending that he was just blindly following Eszett's plans. For the time being, Takatori had been in phase with the leaders, but Crawford knew what would happen, he had Seen it.
Where was the harm in playing subordinates to this man, who would be dead in a few weeks time? Schwartz was playing a higher game, this poor idiot wouldn't stand in their way, and what was even funnier, was that they wouldn't even have to kill him themselves, no matter how much certain members of Schwartz wanted to. They would just let the WeiB take care of it...
The door opened, and Takatori's secretary motionned Crawford inside, and closed the door behind him. Reiji Takatori was sitting behind his desk, looking as self-satisfied as humanly possible and possibly more than stupid. Crawford sighed inwardly and waited for his employer to speak.
- Ah, Crawford. I've been waiting to see you.
- Is there anything wrong, Mr Takatori?
- I demand to know what your group is doing to erradicate the Kritiker menace to our plan!
- Certainly Mr Takatori. Our plan...noted Crawford.
- As we speak, we are finishing the erradication of those located.
- Those located? My orders were to eliminate all Kritiker agents! I will not be satisfied with poor results!
- I shall give orders to multiply searches.
- Good. I'm counting on you Crawford.
- Very well Mr Takatori.
Crawford closed the door and walked back towards his car, sighing inwardly. Takatori was an idiot, and Nagi would be thrilled to have to spend even more hours in front of his computer, finding information to satisfy him... Of course, if Schuldig was high enough he might be encouraged to lend a hand, but nothing was less sure. Crawford looked at his watch; it was just gone eleven, Nagi would still be awake and probably typing away. He dialed their flat's number, and sure enough, after two rings, Nagi answered. Crawford briefly explained the situation, ignoring the irritated silences, and put the phone down, starting his way back to their appartment.
ooOOoo
On the other side of Tokyo, a figure was hurrying back towards his flat, glancing nervously around. He'd been waiting all day and at last he had located a group of Eszett agents. He'd reported to Kritiker headquarters, and now, he was waiting for another agent to come and pick him up.
He didn't notice the car parked in the small road and hurried to his front door, taking care to scan the area. No-one in sight. He opened the door and went inside, closing the door behind him...but not fast enough to stop the boot from jamming itself in the opening.
- Knock knock...who's there...came Schuldig's voice, as Farfarello kicked the door open on the surprised Kritker agent.
- Who...who are you?
That only caused Schuldig to grin wider and both Schwartz entered the flat.
- Who are we? We're your executionners...any other questions?
The Kritiker agent swiftly pulled a gun out of his pocket, but Farfarello leaped forward and slashed it out of his hand.
- Want to fight us do you? Please do, it makes so much more amusing...grinned the telepath, leaning against the wall.
- Kill me if you want Schwartz, but Kritiker will stop your plans!
- Thank you for those completely useless last words... Farfy? He's all yours, but try and hurry up... I'm dying for a drink.
The Irishman pulled another knife out and advanced on the doomed agent and Schuldig helped himself to the contents of the flat's fridge while screams echoed around him. Switching the television on, he watched for a few seconds, drinking the beer he'd found, before bursting out in laughter.
- They've found your handiwork Farfy... Strangely enough, no-one can identify him.
- Surprising..., came Farfarello's voice from the entrance.
- Wow, you actually ripped his teeth out? That's evil.
- As if you weren't doing anything...his mind tasted like honey, right?
- If only you knew... Ah...apparently you're a serial killer, with deep megalomaniac tendancies...and you didn't tell me you were a frustrated virgin.
- I hadn't noticed either.
An agonising yell finishing in a bubbly sound made Schuldig wince, and he went to see what Farfarello was doing to the Kritiker agent.
- Farfy, when I said hurry up, I didn't mean...oh well, never mind.
The entrance was covered in blood, trickling down the walls and coating the floor; in the middle of it all, the dead man was an unrecognisable pile of clothes and meat and Farfarello was standing over him, his own clothes crimson red.
- You should get cleaned up Farfy, we might attract a little attention if we go out like that.
Farfarello nodded and walked towards the bathroom, his boots leaving little bloody traces as he went. Schuldig stared a little longer at the corpse before walking towards the bedroom. They were going out for a drink after all, and no amount of soap would take the bloodstains off Farfarello's clothes. In the wardrobe, Schuldig rumaged and searched inside the pile of clothes strewn around. It was quite amazing really, this man actually had good taste... Where on earth had he found the money and the time to go and shop? And for Armani no less? Although Armani was rather old style... Yôji Yamamoto!? A Kritiker agent actually had that kind of money?? Then again...the Weiss certainly had enough of their own...
The shower stopped and Farfarello came out, still half dripping wet, and stood in the doorway looking at the pile laid out on the bed. And then he noticed Schuldig sitting in front of the television and waiting for him.
- You didn't expect me to go out dressed like I was, did you? What do you think?
The telepath had managed to come up with a pair of red pants and a loose white satin shirt; Farfarello looked longly at his companion, and Schuldig couldn't help himself from grinning.
- Looks like you like it...hurry up and get ready! I'm dying for a drink! I hope you like what I found...it should be your style.
Farfarello started to dress, eyebrow shooting up as he saw what he was putting on. Tight black hipsters, dark blue crop-top and a dog-collar... Schuldig came over and nodded at the sight of Farfarello in figure-hugging material.
- So, what do you think? I know I'm getting horny just looking at you.
- You get horny looking at most things..., smiled the Irishman.
- Ja, but most of the time, I'm looking at you... Right, shall we get going?
And a few seconds later, a car sped off, leaving the flat in a burning pyre.
TBC...