She dreaded coming here, down the long stretch of hallway, past the patients, the operating rooms, all the other offices. In the elevator, down to the basement. She hated it, the brightness of the light bulbs, the stench, the odd instruments, the locked cell on the other end of the laboratory. Most of all, she hated the women that was sitting at a desk typing furiously on a laptop.

"He came," A-ko began. "Just like you said he would."

"Shut the door. Have a seat." She did as she was told, the door closed with an audible click. A-ko took the only free chair across from her boss, she was friendly looking with blonde hair and dark green…killer smile. It made her nervous, a feeling she can't ever remember having, there was a time she had been invisible. A shadow.

"And? What did you tell him A-ko?"

"I…I told him Doctor Nguyen didn't exist."

"Good," The woman said, "Good." And began typing once more.

"What if he comes back? What if someone finds out about…"

Ohtori, Kanae laughed briefly, "Oh A-ko, I'm counting on it. His feelings for Juri is something that will most definitely come in handy. It could help me gain more control of that….thing in there." Her gaze slanted towards the locked cell.

A-ko shivered at the very thought of what lay on the other side. "but…" What about the girl?" Kanae sighed then, "No buts little shadow. You do as I say when I say. I don't want or need your questions, now get out."

"Yes, sir." Boy did A-ko hate everything and anything dealing with this woman.

Murdering Aristocrat
Part Two

Kaoru Residence

Fear descended on Miki, trembling he placed down the empty coffee cup. It was evening now, pitch dark, heavy rain clouds blocked the moon and stars. It looked scary outside, anything could be lurking in the darkness. Miki shook again and finally lifted his eyes to look at Kozue, searching her face. Miki had told Kozue everything. His suspicions, the faulty police work, left-over evidence, possible clues, his worries, and through it all his twin simply sat there, legs crossed, eyes locked firmly on his person. She didn't interrupt and even now Kozue was silent, slowly digesting all of the information. She reached toward the center of the sturdy oak wood table, refilled her cup with the coffee pot and drank it bland—with out sugar or milk.

"You've…certainly been busy." Steam curled wickedly around Kozue's pixie-like face. She regarded Miki over the rim, smirking faintly. "I'm surprised you managed to keep all this from me." Sigh. "What can you possibly do, Miki? You aren't a detective, who's gonna analyze that fur sample for you? Brother, you committed a crime going back to that apartment, I bet your fingerprints are all over Arisugawa's things now. What if the police come back and investigate, then what? You go to prison. They interrogate you, all of us, all over again for some now lead?"

The fear in Miki peaked. His heart was pounding. Could she hear it? It seemed like it, the way she moved in for the kill, all quiet calm so against her fiery, cold nature. She was trying to manipulate him out of searching for his friend.

"I won't stop looking for her Kozue!" Miki said, still trembling, heart still pounding. He had a queasy feeling she'd tell, that she'd go to their parents, have him shipped away if he didn't listen.

"I didn't say to stop looking." Kozue said.…Well, maybe she was simply trying to keep him out of trouble. "I simply pointed out the fact that you aren't George Stobbart what you're doing is very real and very dangerous. If this…killer of sorts is supernatural as you suggest, what the hell are you gonna do when you come fact to face with it? Call on the power of Dios!"

Miki gripped fist fulls of his hair and pulled. Frustration mingled in, making him red in the face. "I don't know! I don't know what I'm going to do Kozue but I do know one thing." He glared, brow furrowed in the meanest frown ever. His eyes sparked blue fire. Miki was pissed, he was pissed and he was determined. "I will find her and no one's going to stop me, not you or anyone!" He yelled, beating his fists on the table.

Kozue looked away from her brother to the spilled remains of her drink. The cup had tipped over, rolled a few feet and shattered on the floor.

"Well." She said, "looks like I can't convince you otherwise and you're certainly passionate about it. I'm sure if I told mommy and daddy on you, you'd find a way to your damsel in distress." A sly smile. Miki was rather shocked at the abrupt change in his twin. "I guess I have no choice but to help you. I know no other way to keep you out of trouble." Ah, then…still at a loss for words, Miki could only gape at her. Kozue laughed, shaking out her hair.

"Why are you so stupefied? Did you actually think I'd rat you out. I love you Miki and yes I am most definitely the possessive type but…you'd never, ever forgive me or love me if I did that to you." No secrets... No secrets between them for a reason. Relief crashed over him in waves and Miki felt ridiculous for ever having doubted his sister.

"Now about this Doctor Nguyen…"

"I don't know. The receptionist said there was no such doctor." He sighed, too drained to be frustrated.

"Really? How odd considering the fact I not only have heard of her, but I've visited her myself a couple times actually. That's not important right now though." Miki's eyes were wide in a 'how can that NOT be important' expression. "I recommend you go and see Shiori before it gets too late. She was the last person to see Juri and I hear they use to be really close."

"Kozue…" He began, that truly was the good idea. Why didn't he think of that. "Thank you."

"Ah, get going. I'll handle the Doctor."

November 14 Takatsuki Residence

He hadn't seen nor heard from Shiori since the investigations. The girl had simply dropped off the face of the planet, she hadn't been to any of her classes or the campus for that matter. She had been cleared by the police but the bad publicity of being accused of abducting Juri had caused her to close herself off from the world. Miki's hand poised to knock, but just stood there, listening. The TV was extremely loud and alarm shot through him. No one kept their TVs that loud unless they didn't want anyone to hear anything, he was no detective but…

Miki tested the doorknob, it was open. "Shiori?" He breathed, heart threatening to burst out of his chest. The room was dark save for the glow of the television, everything was neat and tidy. He moved deeper into the dormitory, "Anybody home?" No answer, naturally. He flicked on a nearby lamp, blinking at the sudden brightness. His eyes swept over the room. Magazines littered a coffee table and sofa, a work desk tucked into a corner had unfinished homework…strange books sat on the neighboring bookshelf. Strange books. Miki went to get a closer look at the titles, they started off normally, textbooks, mystery novels, Romance the occasional manga, then grew into something more…odd. Werewolves and other creatures, a Field Guild to the Supernatural, How to Ward off Even Spirits and so on and so forth. He pulled out a particularly interesting title The Basics of Human Transformation and tucked the small paperback into his pocket.

"Where could she be?" He wondered out loud, clicking off the television. The silence made him uneasy but it was better than that racket.

"S…Somebody…h-help…" It was a whisper of a voice and it came from the bedroom. Miki nearly tripped over himself to get there. "Shiori!" What he saw was something he'd never forget. Shiori was face up on the bed, wheezing. Her shirt was torn and the skin beneath was completely mangled. He covered his mouth in horror, frozen in the doorway. He could see her intestines, blood gushed forth every time she attempted a breath. Her limbs were twitching sporadically.

"He…hel-" She went limp, her pleas dying on her lips. It was a powerful experience, seeing a life slip away. You could almost see the soul exiting the body. Shiori relaxed completely and the eyes lost it's spark. Miki, took one step back…then another and another and another, until his back touched the wall.

Then he screamed.

To be continued…

AN: It's been years but I am finally back. Real life took it's toll on me greatly, I moved to a new state all on my own for three years. I found love and heartache there, I miscarried, I cried, I drank, I made friends, but I'm finally back in my own town, recovering…healing…and with it came an urge to write fan fiction again. I'm a little rusty so I hope you can forgive me. Later.