Baroque Works vs. CP9

Identify them

Spandam planted his hands on the stone balcony of Enies Lobbyand threw his gaze across the waterfall to the drawbridge below. He had been told that a group had appeared at the roof and were facing the tower of justice.

His first reaction, his instinct reaction was fear there had been no prior report of a disturbance and know a group had just appeared at the edge of Ennis Lobby it could only be those straw hat pirates.

However when he reached the balcony and looked over the fear drained somewhat it did not disappear but it faded to make room for the mass of confusion in his mind.

First of all there were six members of the straw hats yet there was only three figures opposing the building.

Three people he had never set eyes on before Spandam came to the conclusion that these were not members of the pirates crew which begged the question…just who the hell were they.

The air blurred around Spandam then his vision of the drawbridge was blocked by a man wearing a black suit.

Rob Lucci stood on the stone balcony just inches from Spanda's fingers and stared across the waterfall from under the brim of a top hat.

Spandam pulled his hands from the stone and stepped to the left to reclaim his view of the scene.

A second figure appeared on the balcony once again blocking Spandam's view.

This one was not quite so formal he was even wearing a black baseball hat.

Spandam gritted his teeth and once again took a step to the left.

The air blurred all around him once again, the sound of slicing air and unseen movement began to throw his senses into a haze but it faded with the sound of footsteps and the reaming members of CP9 finally materializing on the balcony.

The fear that had occupied Spandam's mind lifted in a matter of seconds with the arrival of his CP9 there presence would help anybody feel more confident in a confrontation but with Spandam that was only the tip of the iceberg with the group surrounding him he was instantly promoted to the bravest man on the grand line.

Kaku said "Those people are not a part of the straw hat pirates"

"Could there be members of there crew we haven't seen" asked Kalifa

"No we have them all accounted for this is another group" replied Blueno

"Never the less even for them to reach this building its praise worthy, praise worthy"

Spandam found himself grinning "perhaps they are allies of the straw hats" he paused mid sentence the grin shrunk but did not disappear from his face

"Get Nico Robin to identify them" he ordered

Nico Robin and Franky sat side by side just feet away from the members of CP9, Robins hands were bound by the sea stone cuffs defying her of use of her limbs much less her devil fruit abilities. Franky was not bound in any way but still sat against the wall he knew this was not the time for heroics trying to fight the entire CP9 squad would be suicidal but if they could hold out until the straw hats arrived then he could fight a single member of the group then there was a chance of wining.

A gloved hand seized Robins arm.

Blueno said "Stand up Nico Robin"

Robin did not object or even make any gesture of defiance she simply stood.

Franky gritted his teeth but said nothing.

Blueno led Robin the short distance to Spandam who instantly thrust his masked face at Robin until there were just inches apart he then threw a finger over the balcony at the three figures.

"Identify them woman" he ordered

Robin let out a sound that could have been a sigh perhaps at Spandam himself or perhaps at the idea of simply identify the strangers she had already heard them say that they were not the straw hats that also lead her to believe that they could not be members of the world government or Marines as they would have been recognised so what would the chances of her identifying them be.

Robin turned her glance to the balcony believing she would have no chance of knowing the figures identities and she had no doubt this would promptly aggravate an assault from the masked man.

Robin looked upon the figures and let out a gasp not a deliberate sound but somthing conjured up from genuine emotion somthing she had showed little of in more recent times.

There were three figures; each was stood separately on a stone pillar.

The first was a black man wearing a red suit, his hair was like an afro that had been tied into dreadlocks, a pair of sunglasses hid his eyes on a face that was void of emotion but the thing that stood out the most about this man was the number five embedded onto the breast of his jacket.

The centre figure was a man with a larger frame but not in a broad sense he was tall but he had a round body, his face was pale and his facial features large he did not look as serious as his counterparts but he held a huge bat by his side but not only that he was the only one who was not alone there was a hybrid dog at the stood at the mans side and for some reason it made Spandam want to clutch at his special sword.

The final figure was a slender woman she stood with her hands on her waist and wore a somewhat reviling black web top her hair was a dark shade of blue that came down to her shoulders and she was actually smiling.

Robin drifted back a step not from fear but more on an instinct of wanting to look away then back just be sure that was she saw was real…this could not be real it couldn't be them…she would have believed it if it were Luffy and the others stood on those stone pillars and looking up at her in fact she had expected that to happen and deep down still hoped it would that would at least that would be real but this couldn't be why would these people have come to Enis Lobby.

She looked over the edge again to be sure…and sure enough it was those three.

Spandam grinned at the sight of Robin's disorientation however these people were worried her and he just had to ask.

"Who are they?" he demanded

Robin answered "Baroque Works"

Franky's mistake

"Baroque works?" echoed Spandam

He sounded like a man trying to be more knowledgeable than he really was, he did recognise the name however and he believed the CP9 could take on any enemy but there was somthing about that name somthing that bore a great significance but was it.

"Baroque Works" the word was echoed once again but this time it was by a man who sounded like and did have a great knowledge of what he was talking about.

Spandam turned his attention to Blueno.

Blueno began "Baroque works was a failed criminal syndicate whose goal was to take over the kingdom of Alabasta however the syndicate disbanded after a defeat, there were thousands of pirates in this group but there were only a handful of key members who knew the full extent of the plans and these members were given numbers as a kind of ranking system and alias this alone would be enough to catch the attention of the government but the thing that gave the group so much fame however is the man who founded and lead them"

Spandam eyes widened, that was the thing of relevance it was the man who lead them but his mind still deprived him of that piece of information it was locked away in his mind just out of his memories reach.

Blueno continued "the leader was the former Shichibukai-"

Rob Lucci interrupted "Sir Crocodile"

Spandam face froze in a moment of wide eyes terror before his mouth started to move in mad jolts "Sir…Sir Crocodile…a Shichibukai"

"However" continued Blueno "Sir Crocodile has long since been arrest and is currently imprisoned within Impel Down"

Jyabura popped his knuckles and grinned "so who are these fools?"

Kalifa said "why not have Nico Robin identify them she herself was a former member of the syndicate"

Spandam grinned then turned to Robin "who are they woman"

She said nothing

Spandam grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her head back Robin scream but it was more from surprise than pain.

Spandam tightened his grip on her hair like he was preparing to tear it out from the roots "Who-"

She answered the inevitable question "Mr Five, Mr four and Miss double finger"

The grin faded from the masked mans face he had not wanted the answer so soon he still wanted to torment the woman still wanted to be given a reason to pull on her hair, he felt his eyebrow's lower to a extreme angle and his teeth grind together at her selfishness.

His hand grew tighter this time his nails scraped across her scalp and threads of black hair fell from her head.

"SPANDAM"

He realised the woman's hair and all eyes turned away from the members of baroque works and fixed on Franky.

He was climbing to his feet but other than that he made he made no aggressive movement.

Spandam said "somebody take in Cutty Flam"

Spandam glanced over the wall at Baroque works the group had made move.

"They just a criminal group, there can not stop us for we have CP9…Nico Robin the survivors from the island of scholars planed to revive a weapon and the man who inherited the weapons blueprints…Cutty Flam, I will not pass an opportunity the gain such great power"

Spandam let out a laugh and turned away from the newcomers only to come face to face with Cutty Flam.

Franky was stood and staring at the masked man one arm was at his side while the other was stretched out in front of him and in his hand was a booklet of a paper.

Spandam eyes were transfixed on the front cover of the booklet. It only had one word written down the centre but that one word was enough for Spandam to break through his cowardice even only for a brief second and edge forwards and to make his fingers twitch like he was ready to snatch that booklet right out of the cyborg's hand.

Instead of taking any rational action Spandam blurted out the word written on the booklet "PLUTON"

The word echoed across the balcony and drifted across the waterfall to the spectators across on the other side of the drawbridge.

The three newcomers all tilted there heads up at the same time at the name of the ancient weapon.

Mr five took on a more serious face and even swiped the sunglasses off his face.

Mr four's face did not change instead he tightened his grip on his weapon.

Miss double fingers grin was soon replaced by lowered eyebrows and a look of determination.

"No" said Spandam "You couldn't possibly…the blueprints for ancient weapon Pluton"

Franky grinned "It's the real thing, do you believe me?"

Spandam said nothing

Franky pulled up cover of the blueprint.

"Lucci, Kaku, you guys can tell right?"

He let the pages fall back into place allowing glimpses of the print to be seen.

Lucci and Kaku's eyes widened ever so slightly at what they saw.

Kaku said "I didn't think you would but…you were hiding them in your anatomy the whole time"

"Is it…Is it real" asked Spandam his hand already outstretched and trembling.

"Give them to me" demanded the masked man "my long awaited blueprints"

"Spandam" said Franky "if the ancient weapon were to fall into the hands of an idiot like you and let loose then a second weapon would be built to resist it"

"Shut up and give it to me"

Franky flipped the blueprints upwards and raised his arm staring up at the blueprints in final moment's hesitation at his decision.

"Tom san if you-"

"SORU"

Franky pulled his gaze away from the blueprints at the word and blurred air.

He lowered his eyebrows there was no more time for hesitation. The cyborg growled and flames burst through his mouth.

"Shigan"

Pain travelled through Franky's chest and he fell backwards tightening his fingers still intent on going through with his decision but he could no longer feel the blueprints in his hand nor the heat from the flames.

He crashed into the ground as Kaku stood at his feet holing the ancient blueprints.

"Give me the blueprints" said Spandam inching towards the CP9 member his hands outstretched and trembling like a beggar on a cold night.

Kaku handed the blueprints over without a word then turned back to the waterfall.

Spandam looked at the blueprints and let out a laugh that bordered on insanity

"There finally mine"

The balcony shook and a deafening blast came from under there feet.

Spandam toppled over clutching the blueprints at his chest while the CP9 were completely unfazed by the explosion under there feet.

All eyes went back to the three members of Baroque works who seemed to be forgotten about with the blueprint incident

Smoke swirled under the balcony of the tower of justice.

"What are they doing" yelled Spandam

The CP9 members were a mixture of grins and poker faces.

Mr four was now stood with the bat resting across his shoulders and Baroque works finally broke there silence.

Miss Double finger shouted across the waterfall "We've come for Nico Robin"

An interesting situation?

"Come for Nico Robin?" Thought Spandam then turned to Robin whose face was a hybrid of surprise and panic. "What relationship remains between her and baroque works"

He pushed past these thoughts for they did not matter…Nico Robins fate was to pass through the gates of justice it did not matter who came to her aid whether it was baroque works or pirates for there was no group that could match the power of the CP9 and besides they had no way to cross the water the statement the syndicate made was laughable.

A strange thought passed through the masked mans mind that being that for the first time he hoped for the arrival of straw hat pirates perhaps if they turned up then both groups could fight against each other over the rescue of Robin what a wonderful scene that would be.

"Maybe we should bring the fight to them…chapapa"

"Yoyo perhaps we should honour there challenge"

"No" said Kaku "that's would be a waste of time they can't possibly match us"

"Forget about them" said Spandam "they can't even get to this building-"

The masked man was cut off and his froze in a bulging eyed fear.

Gears grinned and the drawbridge began to open.

"No…it's impossible…who's doing that?" blurted Spandam

Faced with the reality of the bridge forming across the water and the imminent approach of Baroque works Spandam was forced into the decision of taking the demon child through the gates of justice right now, he planted his hands on Robins shoulder but pulled them away on contact as if he had been burned by the touch.

He looked back to the ancient blueprints still clutched in his hand…if baroque works were to go thought with there threat and try to retrieve Nico Robin then they would be coming straight for him so perhaps the blueprints were not safest in his hands.

"Rob Lucci"

Lucci rolled an eye at the masked man at the call of his name.

Spandam extended the blueprints to Lucci with an order.

"You are to protect these blueprints at all cost and not surrender them to anybody but myself"

Lucci gripped the blueprints which in contrast prompted Spandam to tighten his own grip on the prints instead of realising them in some in vain hope that he could keep hold of them even if Rob Lucci wished to seize them for his own ambition.

After a seconds hesitation Spandam loosened his fingers surrendering the prints to the CP9 member.

Lucci stuffed the blueprints into his jacket and out of sight.

Jyabura let out a laugh "here they come"

Spandam pressed his hands on the balcony and threw his head over the stone his eyes wide and swimming below his head for they were coming…Baroque Works was coming walking slowly across the suspended drawbridge towords the tower of justice.

Spandam tore himself away from the balcony and gripped Nico Robin by the shoulders then turned his head back to the CP9 in his haste he had almost forgotten to give his orders to the group.

"CP9 I unleash you upon those criminals…annihilate them and anybody else who tries to get into the tower of justice"

Spandam planted a fist into Robins back forcing her forwards, she let out a whistle of air through her teeth before she began to walk and they both disappeared through the hole in the wall leading back into the tower.

With Spandam out of sight Jyabura threw an accusing finger at Rob Lucci

"Oi Lucci why did he give you the blueprints why not me" yelled Jyabura demanding an answer from the man in the top hat.

"Because you're a worthless dog" replied Lucci

Jyabura stamped towords Lucci with a clenched fist flailing in front of him

"What did you say Lucci you bastard"

"We don't have time for this" said Blueno "Who will dispose of this group"

Rob Lucci dug his hands into his pockets showing no interest in the situation.

Jyabura saw this and read Lucci emotion prompting him to turn at an angle with his arms folded over his chest and eyes closed in an attempt to show that he also had no interest in the event.

Kaku said "I have no interest for this" before stepping off the balcony and disappearing through the broken wall and into the tower.

Kalifa brushed her hair back behind her ear before saying "I'll take miss double finger"

"Yoyo"

Blueno said "Air Door"

Encounters

Mr Four and Miss double finger had indeed advanced onto the drawbridge. Mr Five however had taken a moments hesitation and trailed behind and was just in the process of walking to the bridge.

He paused at a distorted voice coming from behind him, a strong voice that had been been snuffed out like the sound was struggling to pass through a wall but there were no walls here just a flat roof.

Then there was a stranger sound a creak followed by a click and finally footsteps.

Mr Five frowned and spun around to see a large man wearing black stood on the roof. He was above the six foot mark and powerfully built his face was long and his mouth curled downwards like he was faced with a perpetual sense of disappointment but perhaps the strangest thing about this man stranger perhaps even than the fact that he had seemingly come out of nowhere was… his hair it pointed upwards like the horns of a bull but somehow this seemed appropriate for this man.

The man said "You are a member of baroque works" it was not a question.

This was the man who owned the distorted voice but his voice was no longer distorted it was a powerful and frank voice a vast improvement on what he had heard a moment ago.

The man eyes scanned over the newcomer and pointed a gloved finger at the number on his jacket.

"Mr Five" said Blueno his voice confident but lacked a certainty for this was a question not a statement and he seemed to hope for an answer from the stranger to confirm his analysis.

Mr Five did not answer.

"You are already a criminal and stepping on these grounds is a crime in itself as well as an act against the world government are you going to" he paused mid sentence "Your going to fight aren't you" finished Blueno

Mr Five answered "are you going to get in my way?"

"Fighting is useless"

Mr Five dug his finger into his nose

Blueno continued "The difference in power between us is too great"

"I agree" said Mr Five ending Blueno sentence early

Mr Five had his right arm stretched out and in an appalling act of social grace he flicked a ball of snot at the CP9 member.

Blueno made a curious noise from his throat but made no move as the snot hit his chest.

An explosion went off on Blueno's body engulfing the large man in a cloud of smoke and flame.

Mr Four walked down a corridor within the tower, he had become separated from Miss Double Finger but that had always been there intention to separate and advance to the higher arks of the tower of justice but that was a challenge in itself. He had not walked through the building for long but it had become evident even to him that the tower was a vertical maze and navigating the corridors and doorways to reach what they were looking for would be no easy feat even without a confrontation from the group that had stood on the balcony and quite literally looked down upon Baroque Works.

Mr Four turned a corner of a corridor and stopped in place for the pathway was blocked.

It was not a wall that had stopped him but a person. A figure that managed to occupy the entire segment of corridor where he stood, a figure wearing a black suit which seemed a little bit strange by comparison to the rest of the figures appearance.

His face was pale and one of his eyes was closed tight and he had a mass of pink hair that rained around his body.

Then there was a droning ringing.

The thing in the suit held a staff with two rings attached to the top and he was slamming the staff into the stone floor in some sort of ritual music that seemed to be sweet to his ears alone.

Mr four stared silently at the figure and the dog at his heels advanced forwards if only by a few steps.

"Yoyo" announced the figure and pounded the staff into the ground again creating more of that ritual ringing "So you're here you pirate scum"

Miss Double finger cocked her head at a subtle change in sound; she had finally heard somthing other than the echoes of her footsteps. He paused looking at the door just inches to her side and listing just too sure what she heard was a real sound and not somthing conjured up by her imagination and sure enough the sound came again still as quiet and subtle as before but still confirming the simple fact that there was somebody behind that door.

She gripped a hand around the door handle and turned resulting in a click and the door edged open she withdrew her hand from the handle and pushed the door open with the back of her fingers and once again there was that sound just louder this time and she stepped through the doorway.

This room was different from the exterior and not in small way, while the outside walls had been all grey stone and brick this was bright and didn't carry the feel of the world government it seemed like this somthing along the lines of a private room, this was further evidenced by the bed and a table and chairs set up in the centre of the room and there was still that sound.

There was a woman in sat at the table pouring a cup of tea seemingly oblivious to the presence of the stranger who had just walked through the door.

She wore black and had long blonde hair and a thin pair of glasses.

She leaned back in the chair and sipped from the cup

Miss double finger stared silently at the woman then turned away her first step towords the door was met with a click as the cup met the saucer and a voice soon followed.

"How will you save Nico Robin without the key?"

Miss double finger turned back to the woman her hands on her hips.

"Key" she inquired in a voice so calm that it could deceive a passer by into believing they were having a casual conversation.

Kalifa had her elbows propped on the table and was her chin on laced fingers.

She said "Nico Robin is wearing pair sea stone handcuffs"

Miss Double Finger frowned slightly.

Kalifa continued "She can't defend herself while wearing them and I doubt you'll want to take her very far while she still has them on and you will not be able to break them however each member of the CP9 has a key but only one of them will open Robins cuffs"

Miss Double Finger asked "So where is your key?"

Kalifa brushed her hair back behind her ear "I don't remember exactly but it's on my body somewhere…you might have to search me"

Somewhere within the lobby Spandam and Robin were stood before a huge steel door, the masked man had taken his attention of Robin and was staring at the control panel at the side of the doors. His finger lingered over the button and he muttered under his breath it was like he had simply forgotten how the door operated.

He suddenly felt eyes on him and turned to see Robin looking in his direction this was alone was enough to provoke his anger the way she was just silently staring mocking him at the fact that he had not unlocked the doors immediately.

"What are you staring at" yelled the masked man

Robin said nothing just took in a breath as if to from a word but before she could speak pain cast across her face as Spandam slapped the back of his hand across her face knocking her to the ground, the masked mans teeth gritted together and he raised his foot of the woman's head obviously wanting to slam it down and give her more pain but he pulled his foot away and walked back to the control panel without the mocking gaze of the demon child.

He inserted the key into a lock uncertain confidence and turned it, his confusion transformed into a grin as there was a hiss and the steel bolts pulled into the walls and the doors swung open reviling a long tunnel way.

Spandam grinned and what remained of his worries concerning the straw hats and even Baroque Works lifted away from his mind even if either of the group did the impossible and defeated the CP9 they would never be able to get passed the steel doors.

He turned back to Robin to see that she had made it up to her knees and the masked man stared down at her with distain, she was moving to slowly even without hesitation for a brief moment he considered the idea of tying a rope around her neck and simply dragging her through the corridor and the steps that would follow but for the moment grabbed a handful of black hair and pulled her to a vertical bases.

"Get up" he snapped

He then placed an open palm on her back on pushed her through the doorway and the masked man followed they stepped into the corridor and they did the metal doors slammed shut behind them with a thunderous crash that echoed down the corridor as if to punctuate the fact that there was no way back and that Robins destiny was confirmed the next stop would be the gates of justice.

On the balcony of the lobby Franky's eyes snapped open and for a blissful second he remembered nothing

He was just lying on the ground with a slight pain in his chest and then his memory filtered back and details rushed through his mind with increasing speed.

He's still stuck in a building with the CP9,

Spandam has the Pluton blueprints!

And Nico Robin is soon to be taken through the gates of justice!

The cyborg bolted up and blue hair wafted over his face Spandam being in control of the blueprints and Nico Robin held captive could lead to the end of the world if that kind of power was wielded by a moron like Spandam. Franky stood still felling a throbbing in his chest from Kaku's attack those finger bullets were a pain in the ass and if he wasn't made of steel then it was likely that he would be dead but he had survived worse and so he was able to move quite easily.

But he was running low on cola no that was an understatement he was running on empty, he threw a glance over the balcony hoping that he would see the straw hats come reclaim there lose crewmate but alas they were not there and things were looking bad he couldn't let the blueprints say in the position of the CP9 or the world government so he would have to face the CP9 himself but even before that he had to refill on cola he walked through the hole in the wall and back into the lobby were he had one final thought which would seem strange under other circumstances before he began to run.

"Where the hell is the kitchen?"

Conflicts

Mr five stared through the tinted glasses at the cloud of smoke before him not of any matter sadism but for the simply fact that he did not hear the man scream in fact there had not been any reaction from the smoke since the explosion usually there was a scream or some distortion in the exposition as the body moved or fell but here and now there was nothing and there was somthing the agent found a little unsettling about that.

The smoke began to fade and drift away and the agents eyebrows raised as he allowed himself to be taken surprise but only for a second before he dug his finger into his nose again.

As the smoke had faded it reviled pieces of clothing and anatomy. A paper handkerchief folded into a lapel pocket, a gloved hand and hair that resembled horns and eventually the cloud faded reviling that Blueno was still standing there completely unfazed by the attack and still wearing the face of perpetual disappointment if Mr five didn't know better he might have though he was mocking him. The agent extended his arm out and flicked his snot at the large man once again repeating his strategy from a moment ago in some hope that it would work a second time.

Blueno said "Soru"

The large man vanished from the agents vision he had become a blur of himself and then he was gone the ball of snot went beyond where the man had stood and exploded on contact with the structure in the centre of the roof.

"What the hell was that" Mr Five asked aloud.

"Soru" answered a voice from behind him

The agent turned to find himself looking up at his opponent his hand raised up high as if he were preparing to swat the baroque work agent aside with that massive hand.

Mr Fives raised his eyebrows in what could have been a moment of fear as the hand came down.

Mr 4 was still staring blankly at the creature in the corridor who was still uttering some words of a far away culture and pounding the staff into the ground truly it was a clash of customs.

Mr 4 drew in a slow breath and spoke for the first time upon entering the lobby.

"Lassoo"

The name dragged itself out coming out "Laasssooo"

The misshaped dog at his leg made a growling noise in response and advanced forwards scrabbling across the ground and towards the agent.

Kumadori made a curious noise from his throat as he noticed the dog running towards him.

"YOYO"

The dog shrieked as it was seized around the waist and lifted off the ground but not by hands.

Mr Four's eyes widened he a brief second his hands loosened around the bat but he quickly regained his grip.

Kumadori said "I've got you know little critter"

The agent had sized and lifted Lassoo using his hair the pink stands had taken on a life of there own moving like tentacles to capture the dog.

The hair raised Lasso to the agent's eyelevel so he could get a closer look at the misshaped creature it was a dog he could tell that much from the head and legs but the body almost looked like something that had been mechanical.

His mind wandered and found the image of Spandam's sword…then it hit him.

Mr four called to the dog "Lassoo"

The dog coughed three times vomiting projectile baseballs.

Mt four had the bat curled back high over his shoulder as the balls closed in.

Kumadori open eye widened as the round man smashed the balls back with bat and in his haste lost his grip on the dog which withered free landing on the floor and ran back to its master.

Kumadori hair flew out in all directions and three branded threads of hair wrapped around the balls before they made contact with his body.

"YOYO" exclaimed the agent "a try beautiful but-"

He paused…something was ticking…not one thing three things ticking right in his ears.

The hair drew back preparing for the honorary pitcher to return the balls to the batter.

The balls exploded.

Apart from the occasional sip of tea and clink of cup meeting saucer there had been silence between them.

Kalifa still sat and Miss double finger still stood hands on her waist.

Was she contemplating the idea of keeping Nico Robin bound by the cuffs or the best way to go about retrieving the key from the woman sat in front of her if there was such a thing.

Miss Double finger turned away from the woman and headed back for the open door.

"You don't want her key?" asked Kalifa

"We don't need any key"

"Oh" said Kalifa generally curious "Seastone is as strong a steel how do you intend to remove the cuffs also there is the fact that it renders all devil fruit users"

"I'm aware of what seastone can do and when the time comes Robins restraints won't be an issue"

She took another closing the gap between her and the open door.

Something slammed in the room like hands smacking down on wood, the cup rumbled in the saucer.

"Rankyaku"

A breeze blew through Miss Double Finger's hair, she spun around to see that he woman had just launched a kick at the air but this was not against some phantom opponent something was coming.

The table in front of Kalifa flew into the air splitting down the middle, the cup and saucer crumbled into ashes.

Miss Double finger threw her body to the floor; she felt an invisible force pass over her head and caught a few threads of blue hair drifting to the ground.

The two pieces of table crashed against the wall on opposite sides of the door then rained onto the floor.

The baroque works member stood glancing back to see a gash penetrating the wall, it stretched from a few feet to the right of the door across the space where the closed door would have been and then a few feet further on the left wall.

The bottom half of the door dropped of the frame creating a barn door.

Kalifa brushed her loose hair back behind her eye and smiled at her opponent.

Miss Sunday said "It seems you want to fight"

Franky came to a screeching hold his head turning in all directions.

"Kitchen, kitchen where the hell is the kitchen"

He had come into another corridor with rows of doors running down both sides, the kitchen had to be in one of them but he was running out of energy and didn't have the time or patience to search them all one by one…but what other choice was there.

"Chapapa"

"What the?"

Franky glanced towards the voice finding one of the CP9 perched against the wall and ceiling, it was the round man with the zip mouth, he gritted his teeth he had hoped to avoid any of the CP9 at least until he could refuel and a fight now would drain him of everything he had"

"I thought you were dead…chapapa"

Franky cast a hand to his side "Just get out of my way"

"Idiot"

Fukurou vanished from Franky's sight using that damned Soru technique and in an instant he was towering over the cyborg.

The agent said "I have to take you in"

A massive hand latched onto the zip mouth and pulled, the cyborg flung the CP9 member straight through the corridor wall.

"I SAID GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

Overhead

Rob Lucci sat in his quarters the ancient documents still concealed in his pocket he had had second thoughts or temptations to look at or even remove the blueprints for his jacket.

Hattori looked up from his cocktail glass and towards the open window of the private room. Lucci followed the gaze of the bird.

Lucci stood and walked the short distance to the window.

Somewhere from high above a bird cried out and Lucci grinned.

The long walk

They had been walking down the corridor for only a few moments but it had felt like longer, longer for Spandam because of his impatience and longer for Robin because of there underlying fear she felt for what lay beyond the gates of justice.

Spandam had begun to pass the time by abusing Robin verbally and mentally, a fist in the back every time he dragged her heels or perhaps a slap across the face if she looked at him the wrong way.

The masked man had truly become drunk on power though he could not weald nay for himself he felt pride in the fact that he was protected against all situations Robin could not harm due to the cuffed hands he also felt confident that he was secure in the Lobby with a steel door behind him and dozens of armed marines waiting ahead the only threat was from the straw hats but they had nor made it in time or they simply did not care still even if they were still to come they would have to face the CP9 then his mind fell back onto Baroque Works.

Spandam stopped turning to Nico Robin.

"Why would they come for you Nico Robin, why would these Baroque works come to your aid?"

Robin opened her mouth to speak but no words came for she could not think of a rational reason for Baroque world wanting to take her back so she simply shook her head in response to the Spandam's question.

A wordless tut came through the masked mans teeth resulting in saliva pattering against her cheek and hair.

"It doesn't matter anyway they can't match the power of the CP9"

Blueno said"Shigan"

Mr 4 said nothing

Kalifa whispered"Rankyaku"

Franky yelled "Weapon Left"

Spandam yelled "Walk faster damn it"

After a few more moments of walking there was light at the end of the tunnel, a thing that would usually symbolize hope or a safe passage was now represented loss and despair to come in the future.

They stepped through the mouth of the tunnel and into the light…it was not the end of the tunnel way but it was close they stepped through a set of open wooden doors and into a massive storage room littered with crates. There was a door directly opposite the one they walked through and then there would just be the final staircase before they reached the bridge of hesitation and finally the gates of justice.

Spandam said "Nico Robin hell is just ahead.

Rokushiki Revealed