Chapter 2: Coming Closer
New York City was definitely an easy place to get lost in.
It was nighttime and Yami finally understood why New York City was called 'the city that never sleeps'. The city was more alive and it was so tempting to get caught up in the city lights and people. He wanted to check out all of the different shops and clubs and try a variety of things he had never done before.
But this wasn't a vacation and this definitely wasn't the time nor place to let down his guard. He was—after all—on the run.
Yami had been here for only a day and a half but already he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being followed...They may have already suspected he'd come here...
That thought left him with a sickening feeling as he continued to walk through Chinatown. He had arrived late in the afternoon and, during the night, found a rundown building in Brooklyn to stay before passing out, completely spent. Hopefully, this will throw his enemies off his trail even if they knew he'd come here, but the thought didn't reassure him much. He still couldn't get rid of that nagging feeling.
Looking over his shoulder out of sheer paranoia, Yami didn't see anyone suspicious as he scanned the area. The people crowding the street paid no attention to him as they passed by; they were possibly heading to the latest hangout or home. Yami sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair; going home, or at least his temporary home, was actually a good idea. It was too risky to be out so late.
With that Yami turned and headed back toward the Brooklyn Bridge and soon the Manhattan skyscrapers disappeared into graffiti decorated walls as he past through Brooklyn Heights, past downtown Brooklyn, and past some of the burrough's dangerous neighborhoods.
Luckily, none of the residents gave him so much as a glance since to them he appeared to be just another African-American kid in the hood. That was at least one of the benefits of being able to create illusions, Yami thought bitterly. He could avoid a confrontation since his silver briefcase attracted the wrong attention to himself. It was also the reason he managed to elude being caught for nearly two years...but that was a walk down memory lane he'd rather avoid. Dwelling in the past, especially were his powers were concerned, brought back terrible memories that he would just as soon as try to forget. He needed to focus on the present if he was going to accomplish anything. Of course though, he needed to rest before he ended up losing consciousness again. Only then could he set out again.
His resolve renewed, Yami could finally see the broken down building as he rounded a corner and the full force of his exhaustion hit him hard as each step took him closer. Sometimes he wondered how he kept this up for almost two years.
After a quick check to make sure no one was near Yami released the illusion that changed his appearance, leaving him with a slight chill as it ran down the length of his body. He let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding—so far so good.
Switching the briefcase to his left hand, Yami began to push a dumpster under the ladder and floor levels that was attached to the side of the building, all the while scanning his surroundings for anything suspicious. Once he flipped its top down and jumped on top of it, he jerked the rustic ladder down with little effort and took the stairs two at a time all the way up to the sixth floor window, pushing it open as he stepped inside.
As Yami was beginning to close the window a light was suddenly turned on...but that was impossible because the building was devoid of electricity. Oh gods, he thought, his feeling of dread intensifying as he realized his now dire situation. This could only mean one thing...
He whirled around to find where the source of the light was coming from, his body tensing up for a fight, fully planning on somehow sending the intruder packing but the fight went out of him as soon as it came as his blood suddenly ran cold.
"So nice to see you again, Yami. It's been too long."
Yami could only stare back in shock at the man who spoke. Even though it had been a couple of years, he couldn't forget the viridian green eyes that were now looking at him with an unwavering predatory gaze; the raven black hair that was always slicked back, nor the name he associated with that face that he had come to fear: Shoutou Seimei hadn't changed at all.
"He doesn't look too happy to see us does he, Seimei-dear?"
Yami looked to his right and immediately wish he hadn't. He had been too focused on Seimei to even realize that Kurenai Ruka was standing close by and was holding a light bulb that was emitting the source of light.
She hadn't changed much either: her long auburn-dyed hair still flowed over her shoulders in long curls and her dark chocolate eyes shone in dangerous playfulness that promise hell should he make the wrong move.
Yami couldn't understand why he didn't sense them until they made themselves known but he realized that was going to have to wait as he focused back on Seimei who was looking him over in way that made him feel like he was being devoured. He needed to find a way out of here but how?
"No, Ruka dear, he doesn't," Seimei replied in a smooth voice. "In fact, he looks like he's seen a ghost." Never taking his eyes off of Yami he begun to laugh as he continued, "You are quite predictable, Yami, so much so that we knew you would try to throw us off with such futile attempts."
"We knew you were here the day you managed to sneak your way over from London," Ruka chimed in.
Seimei smirked as he took a few steps closer towards Yami. "You didn't really think you could keep running away from us did you? It was only a matter of time after all." His smirk widened as he playfully said," Besides...you've left an awful lot of people rather...upset when you left. I'm sure you know who I'm talking about, ne?"
Yami didn't answer him. He couldn't. Instead, he continued to watch them warily as he tried desperately to come up with something to get out of this. There was no way he could take on both of them, especially in his current state, but he could tell he was running out of time.
"Well, as much as I want to past the time away here with you, your presence is required back in Japan. So, hopefully you'll come with us quietly...I'd hate to use force."
His last sentence sent a chill through Yami; his grip on the briefcase tightening as he frantically tried to think of a way out but was only drawing a blank.
"So, what's it going to be?" Ruka asked in that same wicked tone. "You can't escape us, so if I were you I wouldn't put up a fight."
Yami surprised them both as he gave a dangerous smirk of his own. "Watch me."
