~ The Fake Contractor ~
Chapter Two: The Amakusa Girl
On the edge of Hell's Gate was a UN operated research facility called PANDORA (Physical Alteration Natural Deconstruction Organized Research Agency). An international team of scientists researched the Gate, Espers, and Contractors. They had at first, speculated that the amount or strength of AIM (An Involuntary Movement) in an Esper determined whether or not they had the potential to become a Contractor. There was a correlation, but no concrete evidence was ever brought into light.
Inside these walls, there was one an Esper sitting in a dully lit room. He was the strongest Esper.
His name was Accelerator.
Accelerator wasn't his true name. The silver haired albino couldn't recall the one given to him by his parents. Hell, he didn't even remember his parents. All he could recall was that his surname had two characters and his given name had three. Ever since he was a young child, he was the target of assassination, which proved fruitless as his ability allowed him to manipulate anything with vectors. Guns and explosives had no effect on him, and if one wasn't careful, just touching him would rip your hand apart.
He wore a shirt with white and grey stripes along with an accessory attached to his right arm. He had a black choker wrapped around his neck, and what appeared to be small earpieces attached to his head. Accelerator's left hand toyed around with the button on the collar, almost threateningly. This was the source of his power. After he was shot in the brain, he lost his ability to manipulate vectors due to the amount of strain it would place on him. Now, he has a network to do it for him.
The sound of a barricaded door flinging open alerted the Esper. There was a man who approached Accelerator, sitting across from him in the center of the room. Accelerator examined the man carefully, noting that he was probably one of the higher ranking officials in this group.
"Hello, my name is Eric Nishijima. I represent PANDORA." The man stated. Accelerator looked at him with indifference, his red eyes glowing in the light.
"What was it you wanted of me?" Accelerator growled. He detested scientists with a passion ever since the unpleasant event that occurred over a year ago. He had been involved in an experiment, which eventually led to his defeat by a punk. He never forgot the face of the person who bested him.
"You see our organization deals with researching the Gate and Contractors. Seeing as how you're the strongest Esper, we were curious as to why you weren't affected by the Gate. If you allow us to examine you, we'll be able to understand as to why Espers lose their emotions and become these different beings."
"I don't have time to waste with you." Accelerator sneered as he tampered with his collar. "What's in it for me?"
Eric Nishijima laughed in response. His eyes were devious, something that Accelerator loathed.
"What's in it for you? We know a lot about you Accelerator. We also know about Last Order."
The silver haired teen stopped messing with his choker, clenching his fist into a tight ball. His face showed no change, but Eric knew he had pressed all the right buttons.
"You little shit." Accelerator snarled. "What's to stop me from killing you right now?"
"Nothing. It's pretty clear that we have nothing that can harm you. That girl however, won't survive a day with us after her. It's your choice."
This was why he resented scientists with a passion. They'll use any means to further their agenda. All in the name of science.
Touma Kamijou awoke on his bed, facing the same ceiling he had been accustomed to for so long. A year ago, that would've been different. He was always landing himself in trouble with either Espers or magicians, ending up in a hospital bed almost every day. That was where he met his doctor, Heaven Canceller, the man who could perform anything short of a miracle. Touma raised his left arm, flexing and stretching it almost precariously.
Beside him was the small nun, who slept soundly next to him. Touma stood on his feet and began sauntering towards the fridge. The apartment he resided in was very compact, so he could just stand up, walk two feet towards the kitchen and make himself breakfast. From as far back as he could remember, he was cooking for others. He didn't have the money to eat outside, so all his food was homemade. With a person like Index around, he usually had to make a meal for an entire family. Her stomach was quite literally a black hole.
He also grew an appetite that was very similar to Index's. At first he thought it was his remuneration, but he sometimes went for days without using his power and he still grew unbearably hungry. When a Contractor uses his power, he always yearns to complete his remuneration. It was a curse for some, a blessing for others. For Touma, he didn't understand what he had to pay. Perhaps it was having this power that was his price. A life of fighting and bloodshed. That was his price.
Index later woke from her slumber, immediately gorging herself on the food Touma laid on the table. He soon did the same. The two didn't speak for the longest period of time as they furiously finished their breakfast. After they had finished, Touma threw the plates and bowls into the sink, before walking into the bathroom. There, he flattened his hair, making him almost indistinguishable from his other self. He changed into a white dress shirt before speaking to Index, his voice purposely deeper.
"We're going to get our next orders."
"Alright… Hei."
The two of them walked down the street, their feet splashing into the pools of water that covered the ground. They were told to meet at a certain restaurant located near the edge of the city. As they passed several bystanders, Hei took notice of Index's attire. He turned to his partner in confusion.
"How is it that nobody notices your white robes and veil?"
"I already told you. I used a grimoire that makes everybody in a certain radius see an appearance I choose. At the moment, I'm a business woman."
"I assume Imagine Breaker is the reason I still see you as a nun?"
"Yeah."
"Hm… To think I was hoping to see that other form of yours." Hei mocked lightly. That was as far as he ever gotten to a casual conversation while adopting this façade.
Both Hei and Index entered a small restaurant, sitting themselves in one of the farthest tables away from the front door. Hei didn't speak at all as he observed the surroundings. He surveyed the waitresses and the other customers in silence. Index began reading the menu, and ordered for the two of them when the waitress walked over.
"I don't like beef tenderloin or pasta. Why did you order them? In fact, why did you order from the lunch menu now, especially after we just ate?" Hei questioned, knowing the answer he would get would be subpar.
"I want to try it. I never had them before." Index argued childishly. Hei rubbed his temple and groaned.
"Yes you have. You just couldn't tell them apart when they were stuffed in your mouth."
By the time the food got to their table, Index was starving. Hei just had a big appetite. She… She must have tapeworms. Hei smiled slightly as he watched the girl chew down the food that was placed before her. His smile later grew dark as his sight drifted towards the person seated behind him.
"Huang, what does the Syndicate want now?" Hei murmured as he. He didn't move his head, lest another person saw what he was up to.
"Intelligence tells us that there are Contractors out to spy on you two. Most likely, they want to kidnap Index." The older man replied, never glancing up from his newspaper. Hei's eyes grew weary.
"Do they want me to find them?"
"No." Huang replied, before slipping him a small enclosed document underneath the seats. The old man stood up and promptly paid his tab. As he left, he whispered something that only Hei could hear. "Get that arm of yours checked out."
Hei watched as Huang left the restaurant with a discontent expression on his face. He picked up his eating utensils and stared at his food vigilantly. He was no longer in a mood to eat, which was rare.
'My arm…' Hei thought apathetically. 'What a useless appendage.'
After Index had eaten for the both of them, Hei had sent the blue haired nun back home before going to meet Heaven Canceller. Hei frequently had to be treated for wounds so could just waltz up into his office without even scheduling an appointment. As he walked into the hospital, he passed the receptionist who basically predicted his reason for coming here. Hei walked towards his doctor's office and opened the door to see the bald old men crouched over his work like a hawk. Hei coughed to get his attention.
"Ah, Li! How nice it is for you to come." Heaven Canceller exclaimed as he spun around in his chair, motioning the other man towards an empty seat.
"At least you remembered to use that alias." Hei stated drearily. The Black Reaper had three different aliases which he used on different occasions. He went to school and socialized as Touma, worked as Hei, and in times where it was appropriate, he took the name of Li Shengshun. His real name couldn't be connected to hospital records and the like, while his codename couldn't be spoken out loud for fear of someone overhearing. That was what the name Li was for.
"What brings you here today? I haven't seen you in almost an entire month."
"… My arm's acting up again." Hei remarked, grasping at it with his other hand. The doctor reached for his cabinet which stored rows of medications. "I'm starting to think every time I use my power, my body slowly rejects it."
"That isn't you remuneration is it?" His doctor asked in concern as he picked out a small bottle of pills. Hei shook his head, eyeing the bottle with a look of disgust.
"No. I just think using my powers speeds up the process. Do you have any stronger drugs?"
"You're already on the highest nonlethal dose." Heaven Canceller affirmed as he flipped through the paperwork. "Anymore, any you'll suffer serious adverse effects."
"Are you sure? The period in which I can function seems to have lessened…"
"Your body's adapting to the medication. It's a natural process that I can do nothing about. It's somewhat depressing that this is the only way your power can work. Sooner or later, you're going to have to give up, well, at least if you wish to keep that arm of yours."
"I can't do that and you know it." Hei muttered with a somber expression on his face. "I don't care what you have to do. I just need to last long enough to see this to the end."
Heaven Canceller wrote a prescription before handing it over to Hei. The doctor then went over to a small drawer, pulling out a file entitled 'Li Shengshun'. He began scribbling on the paper, leaving Hei to wonder what exactly he was writing. In his boredom, he grabbed the document he had obtained from Huang and read it. He mouthed some of the words that interested him.
"… Havoc."
Accelerator exited the room where he was interrogated in. Since he was an Esper, he had more freedom than say, a Contractor who was captured. However, Espers were also seen as degenerate pieces of trash by normal humans, and so he understood the stares that were sent his way as he walked down the endless hallways.
It had always been like that for him. Even before the Gate appeared, the title of the strongest level 5 had caused others to constantly attack him in hopes that they would take on that title. Any who tried was utterly annihilated whether they were children or adults. His peers looked at him in fear, and the scientists looked at him in greed. There was no middle ground.
As the silver haired teen was about to leave the complex, a person blocked his path. The man had short blonde hair with shades covering his eyes. He was tall, and looked to be in his early twenties. Accelerator looked amused. Perhaps there really were people dumb enough to challenge him.
"Out of my way." Accelerator instructed. The man did not budge, a smile plastered on his face.
"Are you by chance Accelerator? The infamous level 5?" The man asked. Accelerator shrugged.
"What's it to you?"
"I'd like you to accompany me and my cohorts to discuss several things." The man said while outstretching his hand. "How rude of me. I didn't introduce myself. My name is Jack Simon."
"…" Accelerator glared at the hand for a moment before walking pass the man. The blonde seemed disappointed with Accelerator's lack of response, but he wasn't too worried.
"If you agree to do so, I'll assure you that PANDORA won't bring harm to Last Order, or anyone you care about for that matter." Jack stated, piquing the albino's interest. "All we want to do is discuss several matters. Don't worry; it has nothing to do with what Nishijima just asked of you."
Accelerator stopped moving when he heard this man's proposal. If there was one thing he had learned throughout his life, is that everybody was out for themselves. They wanted something from him, something only he could supply them with. Accelerator advanced on the man, his red eyes piercing through the air like a knife through butter.
"Where are your associates?" The albino solicited. Jack hauled a chuckle. At that moment, two cars pulled up beside the two men. Accelerator looked on with interest. Jack walked towards one of them and pulled the door open, waving for Accelerator to come.
"Right on in." Jack said. The teen followed his orders and climbed into the back of the car with Jack following suite. The door slammed shut, and the vehicles began moving again.
Accelerator looked at the occupants of the vehicle. Besides him and Jack, he saw two women in the front seats. One wore glasses and had had long brown hair that was tied back, while the other had purple hair that reached her shoulders. The purple haired girl looked a little nervous, which made Accelerator wonder if she was dragged along for the same reason he was. For several minutes, there was silence. They merged onto a highway and began travelling west, farther from the Gate.
"Accelerator, I'd like you to meet Kirihara and Itsuwa. These two lovely ladies are working for the local police force, and they'll be escorting me to a certain location." Jack announced. Accelerator glanced at him with distrust.
"Is there a reason I'm here-" A ringtone interrupted the Esper's speech. Jack sighed and pulled out his cell phone.
"Talk to me."
"The helicopter used for the bait and switch is being attacked by CIA operatives."
"Don't they have any civility?" Jack spoke, taking off his shades and placing them into his pocket. "Well it doesn't matter. Kirihara will take us to the destination… Gun them down." Jack closed his cell and placed it back into his pocket, pretending nothing had taken place.
"What's happening?" Itsuwa said softly as she glanced at the backseat.
"Apparently, Havoc's helicopter is being attacked by another agency. They want to claim Havoc for themselves. If they want to instigate a fight, then I'm not one to back down. It doesn't matter though since she's safe and sound in the back trunk."
"What are you talking about Mr. Simon?" Kirihara shouted, almost pulling over. "You mean that-"
"Yes, the helicopter was the decoy. Sorry I couldn't let you know ahead of time, but you see, I couldn't have let a potential leak slip out. You understand don't you? We continue as planned." Jack looked at the puzzlement present in Accelerator's face and explained. "Havoc is a Regressor. She's a Contractor that lost her powers. For that matter, transporting her to the UN is our top priority. But as you can see, not everyone wants to share."
"There's a reason you brought me here, and I want to know what it is." Accelerator barked. He could care less about their business.
"Straight to the point eh? You know a lot about Contractors, considering that several attempts have been made on your life. Tell me, do you know about the Black Reaper?"
"Yeah… He's the Contractor who wears that mask and has avoided any means of capture. There has been little evidence to suggest he even exists besides the blood trail he leaves behind. Why do you ask?"
"No reason."
Nighttime drew closer, with the false stars shining brightly in the sky. One star in particular, was as bright as the sun. The two vehicles drove off the highway and down an uninhabited district. There were no pedestrians on the sidewalks, no cars on the road. The streetlights themselves gave off an eerie glow that unnerved Itsuwa.
"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Itsuwa asked. As the front car passed over the railway tracks in the center of the road, a loud siren suddenly blasted through the space. The driver of the car in back skidded to a halt, almost getting nicked by the train that dashed across the landscape. Jack got out of the car and began walking down the street.
"What the hell is he doing?" Accelerator mumbled. Then he saw it. In the distance, he saw a man in a black trench coat. He was almost invisible against the background, but there was one part that concerned him. The mask.
"So you've finally decided to join us BK-201. I was wondering when you'd come for her." Jack smirked. Hei was motionless. The sound of a storm brewing caused him to look in the sky, where he was caught off guard when he felt a torrent of rain smash down from the atmosphere. The downpour menacingly tried to pull him down with the sheer magnitude of its weight.
"So they're all Contractors huh." Accelerator grieved as he looked at the car that was held back by the train. There was a woman who was maneuvering her fingers like individual water droplets, her irises glowing an indiscriminate red. He assumed she was the one controlling the sudden precipitation. "How interesting." He mumbled.
Hei spoke no words. He launched his metal wire with such speed that it was but a blur. Jack dodged by slanting his head, causing Hei to curse under his breath. Jack placed both his hands on the floor, causing the pool of water to suddenly turn into ice. Hei was surprised, and he immediately grabbed his grappling hook and tossed it towards a nearby tree. The ice crept closer and closer to Hei. The masked man used the reeling function of his hook to get into the air and away from the attack. He landed in a nearby park, his foot nearly tripping in the dirt that began to sink underneath his feet. Jack pursued the fleeing man with little regard for the others he left behind.
While Hei and Jack traded blows, a small girl took this opportunity to open the trunk. Index took hold of the handle with both hands, but she couldn't pull open the briefcase that contained Havoc. The briefcase itself was bigger than her. Accelerator noticed the commotion and he jumped out of the car to confront the intruder.
"What do you think you're doing you little…" He paused when he saw the face of the thief. Index shrieked when teen approached her. The red eyed Esper's mouth was open in shock. "You're the same girl from before…"
"What's the matter Accelerator?" A female voice called out. Itsuwa climbed out of the vehicle and went to see what the fuss was about. What she saw made her freeze in her tracks. She too couldn't believe her eyes. "Index?"
The girl, in the midst of the confusion managed to take hold of the briefcase, and began casting a spell. A huge barrier formed in front of her, distorting the very space and time that surrounded her body. Index began to glow, causing concentrated light to gather in front of her face. She was casting Dragon's Breath.
"Move!" Accelerator shouted at Itsuwa. The girl obliged and backed away as Index fired the concentrated laser at the two. The beam itself moved at hypersonic speeds, coming into contact with Accelerator's passive defense mechanism in the blink of an eye. A shockwave caused Itsuwa to be flung backwards, even lifting up several cars. The beam struggled to pierce the Esper's automatic defense, but it proved futile. The laser dispersed into a whole range of colors, leaving both Accelerator and Itsuwa unharmed. Index was nowhere to be seen. Much to Itsuwa's shock, radiating feathers poured from the heavens.
"This is bad. Don't touch those feathers if you want to live." Itsuwa remarked as she reached for her weapon which was placed in a hidden compartment near the trunk. She pulled out a large spear that was about her height in length. Using Forge Magic, she strengthened her abilities along with her weapon.
"What are you going to do with that?" Accelerator scorned. Itsuwa gripped her spear tightly.
"If Index is here and knows about Havoc, there's a chance Touma's involved." Itsuwa testified. Accelerator scowled when he heard that name. It brought back memories of an earlier time…
"Why's the weapon necessary? You plan on killing her?"
"Just stay here with Kirihara. I'll find Index." With that, Itsuwa disappeared in a flash. Accelerator looked at the bewildered woman who stood there watching the entire scene. The boy then looked to the side where the sounds of electricity were being discharged. He jeered.
"Like hell I will."
Elsewhere, Hei was having difficulty with Jack's relentless onslaught. The whole area was soaking wet, and there seemed to be no end to the terrible weather. Hei tried to take this to his advantage. Once he was a fair distance away from the other man, Hei placed his left hand on the ground. A red glimmer seeped through the holes of his mask as he discharged electricity. The current coursed through the water and reached the soles of Jack's boots. Hei was taken aback when he saw the stream of electricity vanish.
"Made of rubber." Jack stated calmly. The man then retaliated by swiping up water with his fingers, instantaneously freezing them into huge icicles. They traveled through the air like bullets, piercing anything in its path. Hei thought of using his right hand to dispel it, but he realized that once it was frozen, there was no supernatural element acting on it. Hei moved his body stylishly, easily evading the projectiles, all while striking back with another metal wire.
Jack moved out of the way of the attack, but that wasn't Hei's intention. The wire wrapped itself around a small lamppost, allowing Hei to swing closer to his opponent. He whipped out his double bladed knife and came soaring out of the sky like an eagle. Jack kicked up the puddle in front of him, froze it, and used it as a shield. Hei's knife slammed into the ice, barely making a dent. On instinct, Hei jumped away from the man. The ice barrier was torn down into tiny pieces.
"That's quite impressive BK-201." Jack applauded, slowly ambling towards the masked man. Hei held up his blade in a defensive position, his knees bent slightly and his hand shielding his body. Jack examined his foe's tense body language. "Is that a small bit of precognition I see there?"
Hei didn't say a word. He didn't need to. Jack already knew the truth.
"When I defeat you, I'll find out exactly who you're working for, and I'll get to see what's under that mask."
"Come and try it." Hei retorted as he readied his blade. Jack created a pseudo sword with his own ability, gesturing the man towards him.
Hei lunged forward, his blade hanging by a concealed wire. The blonde haired man ran towards Hei with his sword brandished. Hei threw the knife straight at Jack's head, who made a swiping motion, tossing it away like a ragdoll. Hei used the wire like a whip, bringing the blade around from Jack's blindside. His opponent caught it with little effort, tangling it with his own blade. Jack pulled on the blade, bringing Hei flying towards him. The Reaper whipped out another knife, and while in mid-air, he dodged Jack's own strike. Hei thrust his dagger at Jack's throat, but missed by several inches. The two men landed on opposites sides with their backs facing each other.
They went at it again, trading lethal blows that never hit its target. The water proved to be the catalyst for both of them. Their abilities manifested best when they had a medium which could amplify their powers. Hei and Jack both used their abilities at the same time, electricity and ice colliding in the center of the park. A miniature explosion was the result of their stalemate, kicking up smoke and concealing the two fighters.
When the dust cleared, it was certain that the two men were tired. Hei's shoulders were sagging and his breaths were hitched, while Jack had beads of sweat dropping from his forehead. The sound of an explosion in the distance alerted Hei. Hei sheathed his blade and reached for the grappling hook on his belt.
"Well I guess we're evenly matched." Jack announced as he reached for the pack of cigarettes in his shirt pocket. He lit the cigarette and blew out a cloud of smoke. "It looks like today will have to be a draw."
Hei didn't make response. He threw his grappling hook up into the air, going wherever it dragged him.
After Hei had left, a female Contractor and a small boy emerged from the shadows, much to Jack's delight. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the outline of the Esper, Accelerator. The albino retreated into the shadows, where even his silver white hair could not be discerned.
"It looks like you were going easy on him November 11." The woman stated as she drank the bottle of alcohol in her hands. Jack (November 11) shook his head.
"Not really. But still, that man has a long way to go. He's a good killer, just not a good Contractor."
Meanwhile, Itsuwa was desperately trying to find Index, who had hidden herself behind a dumpster in an alleyway. As the purple haired mage passed by, Index covered her mouth with her hand in order to make her breathing less apparent. The wait seemed to last an eternity; Index's face began to go blue from the lack of oxygen. When she was out of sight, Index released her hold and heaved a sigh. She broke open the lock on the briefcase with a few strikes, revealing a red haired woman. She was still conscious.
"You must be Havoc right?" Index whispered. The girl looked at her surroundings before nodding slowly.
Before Index could make a move, several steel wires surrounded her and the red haired girl. The wires cut through the adjacent buildings like paper, even igniting a nearby gas tank. The sound of the blast hurt Index's eardrums, forcing her to shield her ears. Smoke and dust incapacitated her senses, making it hard for her to regain her footing. Footsteps approached the two girls from behind, emerging from the burning flames. That person turned out to be no other than Itsuwa, part of the Amakusa. She glanced at the nun and Havoc, before turning back to Index.
"So, you've decided to come out of hiding haven't you?" Itsuwa said. "How is it that you know about Havoc?"
"I could ask you the same thing."
"I'm working with the police force. I have access to information like this. I know you're working for a different organization, and not Necessarius."
"What makes you think that?" Index asked, stalling for time.
"Necessarius doesn't pride itself in researching Contractors so they would have no reason to go after a Regressor. Not to mention the Amakusa is a part of Necessarius, and even I know that you left the organization."
Index couldn't think of a clever comeback, so she tried to use her space-time distortion spell (St. George's Sanctuary). Unfortunately for her, Itsuwa's version of Nanasen disrupted her concentration. The steel wires around Index suddenly split off into multiple copies, entrapping her in a tight space. Itsuwa didn't want to harm her, but she knew that Index was very capable of obliterating her.
"Even if I am, what does it matter to you?" Index yelled as she stood her ground.
"How do I know you haven't made contact with Touma?" Itsuwa surmised as she flourished her spear. "I won't let you involve him in these kinds of things! He's suffered enough!"
"Then why did you join the police force? You're a magic user too! If anything, you're also to blame!"
"I'm with the police force to get rid of the Contractors!" Itsuwa shouted with her grip on her weapon stiffening. "We protect the general public from Contractors! That's why we need Havoc. With her in our possession, we can find a way to revert Contractors back to their normal selves! We can also find a way to destroy the gate! Isn't that a good enough reason? If you still care about Touma, you'd believe in me!"
Index couldn't respond to that. For so long she had followed either the orders from the Syndicate or from Touma, but she had never thought about doing things for herself. What Itsuwa said had shaken her down to her very core, more so than any other words she threw at her. Index was stricken with uncertainty. There was a chance Itsuwa was lying, and was doing this all for herself. Should she hand over Havoc and possibly upset Touma, or keep Havoc and possibly doom them all to a life of carnage?
That decision was made for her.
A blade came crashing down from the sky, splitting all the wire that made up Itsuwa's attack. Index withdrew with Havoc, stepping back several meters. A cloaked figure landed in between the two girls, causing Itsuwa to fall backwards in surprise. The man silently looked at the Amakusa girl for a moment before turning towards the others.
"Come on. We're leaving." Hei stated solemnly. Both Index and Havoc began following him from behind, leaving Itsuwa in a daze. As if by coincidence, several smoke grenades were tossed onto the street. Hei turned to the purple haired girl, almost as if he understood what she was about to ask.
"Don't bother." Hei uttered; the smoke concealing most of his figure. His cloak billowed in the wind, his hair blowing back. "It'll take too long to explain."
From there and onwards, they disappeared beyond the haze.
To be continued…