A/N:Sorry for the wait, my moods been pretty lackluster lately.
"Beautiful isn't it?" Koko said offhandedly, looking out the window. The view she complimented was indeed beautiful, but the boy didnt feel like agreeing.
"It is" agreed his teacher, looking up from the conundrum Jonah found himself in.
The large window showed much of the skyline of Dubai. Glittering towers of metal and glass rose into the cloudless azure sky. To one side, the Persian gulf stretched away into the horizon, endlessly blue as far as the eye could see. To the other, poking through the large number of buildings was the dull yellow of the desert. In the center was the tallest skyline in the world, with the awe inspiring Burj Khalifa tower rising well above the rest. The hotel they were in overlooked much of the city, allowing for the fantastic sight. The pale woman had a knack for picking scenic locales.
"What about you Jonah?" she asked, turning around with her arms crossed. Her cast came off only a day ago, but she gave no sign of discomfort.
"Its nice" Jonah Mar replied blandly.
"Nice? Thats all?" asked his bemused teacher, bringing up a heavily muscled black arm to adjust his glasses.
'Wiley E. Coyote' was the affectionate nickname of the large african american named William Nelson, shortened to just Wiley. He was large and imposing, with wide muscles and a fearsome countenance when the mood was right. Despite his appearance however was a cultured gentleman, in both the metaphorical (courteous and civil) and literal (always gentle with his hands) sense. Jonah had never seen him get angry, or act any way cruel. No matter the time or place, he always had a word of encouragement or two. On top of that he was also quite intelligent, with a fondness for classic literature and a knack for languages alongside his multiple degrees. He also had something of a fetish for explosives, but that rarely conflicted with his nature.
"Its just a view" Jonah answered.
"No respect for the little things in life" Wiley shook his head and smiled. Koko sighed dramatically at what the boy was missing.
Jonah's conundrum was simple: they wanted him to be taught. He didn't. Since his formal education was practically non-existent Koko decided that while he was with her and her group he would be brought up to speed. The half complete english paper in front of him, something out of Bristol's public school curriculum, was only a tiny segment of that teaching. It was rather simple really, but he was struggling to complete anything past the basics. His frequent efforts to escape weren't helping his progress.
Jonah subtly refocused his eyes on Koko's laptop, which she left behind to get a view of the city.
"Whats that?" he asked, pointing to the screen. His plan worked; she took her attention off of him. She walked back over and tuned the machine around so he could see.
"This? Latest list of known assassins. In this business" she touched something and the page began to scroll, showing a multitude of different people "fair play is a foreign concept. Theres plenty of people that want to bump me off. Fellow arms dealers, dissatisfied customers, intelligence agents, et cetera. It pays to know who's after you" she answered, bringing the page to a stop. The pictures it was stopped on showed a smiling man in a black suit, a strange looking man wearing sunglasses, and a blonde women that had a sizable bust. Jonah leaned in closer to skim the small text.
"Evan Sor, Shisho Gussipe, Irina Jelavić" he read their respective names. No matter the description, each one had cold eyes.
"When we're done with this we'll go over the list. In the meantime" Wiley smoothly got back on track, thwarting the boy's attempt to avoid the work. He explained as clearly as he could while Koko closed her computer and left the room.
Outside the boss lady found a sight that two weeks earlier she would've found bizarre, but now hardly paid mind to now.
"Hey guys. Hows it going?" she asked nonchalantly. After a moment of debate she took a free chair and watched the show. It was against the wall since of the room's furniture had been moved around, creating a makeshift arena where Valmet and Black Rock Shooter had decided to spar. The former wore a tank top and cargo pants, while the latter was bedecked in her full outfit, large black coat included. From her position she had a good view of the large emblazoned star on the back. The reason she didn't see it during the first meeting was due to the chaos of the situation.
"Hey Koko. We're just doing some CQC practice. I gotta tell you, this is a real challenge" Valmet reported enthusiastically, taking her attention off her opponent for a moment before returning her steely gaze to the ring. A rubber knife was expertly held in one hand.
"What you see is what you get" Lehm replied sourly as he kicked back. The buildings strict no smoking policy was grating on him. Valmet took a step to the side.
"And there is a lot" commented Ugo. The thick ex-mafia driver was, like Lehm, watching the veteran and the new girl spar. Usually quiet, the dour man was delighted at the rare calm. After the chaos of late, enjoying it to the fullest was high on his to do list. Black Rock Shooter took a similar step, paying heed to nothing but the eye patched woman in front of her.
The remainder of her men, with the exception of R and Lutz (who were out, likely on patrol) were watching the duel as well. Mao, the soft spoken and upbeat former chinese artillery operator, had a video camera in one thin arm. She worried sometimes at how skinny he was. The other, Tojo, the glasses wearing JSDF soldier watched as well. Unlike Mao or Ugo who watched for entertainment, he observed out of a strong sense of paranoia. Out of all of her men save Valmet, he took to the new girl with the least enthusiasm. Unlike any of them, he hadn't warmed up to her.
She internally sighed, recalling the reception they had given upon her announcement.
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One week earlier...
"Say hello to your newest squad mate" Koko introduced, taking up a theatrical flourish. Beside her the girl eyed her blankly.
So did the rest of her bodyguards.
"Really?" Ugo muttered.
"Wait, the super powered girl that tried to kill you..." R began.
"She recruited her" Lutz finished sullenly.
All of her men were lined up in front of her, immediately outside of the comfortable lodge her company owned. All but Lutz, who stood several feet away from the girl and was burying his face into his palm, muttering quiet curses. His submachine gun dangled impotently from its sling. The group's expressions ranged from incredulousness to muted concern. The last man however, countable as a half really, kept out of sight behind them to her disappointment; she wanted to see his reaction.
"Um Koko, thats...um..." Ugo trailed off trying to think of a response that wouldn't hurt her feelings.
"What brought this on?" Wiley offered. Koko's smile grew.
"Look at her" she waved her still outstretched arm at the girl "that kind of talent is amazing. The question is why not?"
"Talent" Tojo repeated dryly,
"She tried to kill you!" Valmet cried out. She had very good reason to be indignant at the strange turn of events.
"First, she was confused. Second, her goal was to get away, not kill me. Isn't that right?" she posed the last to the girl, who nodded after a few seconds of thought.
"Right boss, I know you're 'eccentric' and all, but isn't this a little too far?" R asked weightily.
"Agreed. Intentional or not, she did try to off you" Mao offered.
Lehm walked away from the little group and to the bizarre girl, watching her carefully. He stopped only a couple of feet away from her, showing no fear. The girl returned the gaze.
"Black Rock Shooter eh?" he said, sounding like a question. She nodded. He then stuck out an arm with a flattened palm. She cocked her head at the move, wondering what it was for. A few seconds of deliberation later and she slowly copied him, bringing her own out at the same position. Lehm was a heartbeat away from losing an arm when he grabbed her hand and shook it, releasing after a couple of hearty swings.
"Welcome to the team. My names Lehm" he bent over to get eye level with her "hurt my boss, my teammates, or any bystanders, and I'll kill you. Got me?" he whispered. She nodded.
His piece spoken, the man spun one hundred and eighty degrees on his heels and nonchalantly walked away. As he passed the many disbelieving eyes of his comrades he pulled out a fresh cigarette.
"She's good" was all he said before he vanished. The eclectic group of trained killers exchanged unsure glances, especially concerning Lehm's flat pronouncement.
"Well, if he thinks it alright..." Wiley said uncertainly.
"I'll roll with it" Ugo agreed.
"This is bullshit" Lutz muttered, wandering off with his face still buried in his hands.
"She's dangerous. I'll be keeping my eye on her" Valmet promised through a scowl. One by one they came to grips with their newest addition, and slowly filtered away for their own reasons, with one exception.
"Am I really the only one who thinks this is a terrible idea? This thing pulled a damn cannon out of thin air and tried to kill Koko. I can't be the only one. C'mon!" Tojo tried exhorting them to see reason, scampering off himself in the process. The pale woman cupped her hand around her mouth and shouted.
"Tojo! In a while grab Lehm and Wiley and put her through the paces!" she ordered. A lackluster backwards wave was all the acknowledgement she received.
She lowered her hands and quietly sighed in relief. Privately she half expected the entire bunch to pull out weapons and turn Black Rock Shooter into confetti. Needless to say she was glad they didn't, no matter how justified they were. She could tell that while killing her wasn't the girl's intent, Rock wouldn't have minded if she had succeeded. Having them get used to her would be a challenge. More importantly, having her get used to them would be worse. Koko wasn't worried much though; the last time she brought an outsider in they adapted easily.
"Speaking of which" she whispered, bringing her attention forward and effortlessy spotting the boy before he could make good on his escape.
"Jonah, come here and say hi" she called, a subtle order layering her tone.
The dark skinned boy looked alright, with only a bandage around his forehead indicating harm. After arriving in Essex he received a full medical examination by a battery of experts. After the day and a half he'd been unconscious the various doctors had explained to her in simpleton terms that he was in fact all right. Shaken, and with some cuts, bruises, and a tiny rad spike, but ultimately unharmed. Whatever happened on the other side of the black orb hadn't affecting his body in any meaningful way. His mind on the other hand...she pushed that line of thought out. Koko glanced over to her newest companion, and quickly suppressed a giggle as she found the girl watching some birds with wide eyes. She looked like she was amazed, almost as if she had never seen them before.
Maybe she hasn't, her mind whispered. The strange girl heard his footsteps and looked over to the approaching boy. In a split second Koko was filled with anxiety upon remembering just who proceeded the girl out of the orb. By the time she changed her mind it was too late.
Jonah stood impassively several feet away, while Black Rock Shooter did the same.
"Hi" was all he said. The girl nodded in acknowledgement.
"Well then" Koko deftly inserted herself between the two "I think that all for now. C'mon Rock, how about we-" she stopped at seeing the girl's inquiring look.
"Oh, the name? Black Rock Shooter is a little long, especially in a pinch. Is just Rock okay then?" Koko asked. The girl looked away for a few seconds in thought before looking back and nodding. Koko smiled, noticing that Jonah looked uninterested.
"Whats the matter?" the arms dealer asked him.
"Tired and hurting. Am we done here?" her bodyguard replied laconically.
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Whether the rest of them had gotten along better or not was up for debate. Lehm was fine with everything. Wiley, while cautious, made several tentative attempts at getting her to speak, to no avail. Valmet privately was hungering for Black Rock Shooter's blood, but looked to be warming up to her, albeit very slowly. Mao, Ugo, and R were on the fence. Tojo was still quietly fuming. He was utterly convinced having something as outrageous as her on board was a recipe for disaster. Koko and the rest politely ignored his rants. Lutz was still morose at the apparent absurdity of it all. But what perplexed her was that out of all of them, Jonah seemed to care the least about the bizarre girl.
"Ready when you are" Valmet challenged.
Black Rock Shooter skillfully twirled the short sword in her hand once around, her own gaze never leaving the older woman. The blade was thirty two inches long, slightly curved, and apart from some patterns on the hilt, entirely unadorned. The day of the introduction Valmet offered to spar with the girl, who agreed. Afterwards another bullet point was added to the short but growing list of things they knew for sure about her. She 'conjured' (for lack of a better term) the weapon out of thin air the same way as the cannon, light flashing included.
The girl charged. Like a lightning bolt she crossed the tiny distance, her weapon moving for a side swipe. But having fought her before, Valmet knew what to expect. She was already dodging as the smaller girl leapt. Even so, the rubber covering that her boss had made to prevent actual harm skimmed her shoulder. Black Rock Shooter sailed past her, expertly falling several feet behind her and letting her legs absorb the landing. Just as quickly she launched herself at her again, this time her feet firmly left the floor.
That was her mistake. Valmet brought her elbow up and delivered her own blow to the girl's chest at the cost of another mock blow to her arm. It spoke volumes about her that the hit, which Valmet held back only a little, made her let out only a muffled grunt. She hit the carpeted floor with a thump, landing on her back. In the precious few seconds that she had Valmet tackled her and grabbled the smaller girl's arms, pressing them tightly together. Despite her powerful muscles the cyclopean woman needed all of her strength just to hold her in place. Her face contorted in effort as she slowly drove the rubber blade into the small of her chest. Once the tip touched, the struggling girl went limp.
"Gotcha" Valmet panted, releasing her hold.
"A magnificent show" Koko praised while she clapped. Valmet stopped halfway up from the ground, nearly tripping as her balance was shifted. The powerful woman's features went red as she looked away bashfully. Underneath her Black
Rock Shooter pulled herself up and in one move was on her feet. Absently she dusted the sleeve of her coat while frowning.
"Its what I do" Valmet replied shyly, unconsciously covering her timid smile. No one present dared laugh at the one eyed fearsome mercenary with a frightening proficiency with knives acting like a schoolgirl who's crush just offered a date. Black Rock Shooter absently cracked her neck and walked to the kitchen. The older woman moved a step but stopped when her shoe touched something. She looked down to see the rubber sword coating, completely empty. Sometime in the past minute the girl had 'dismissed' the weapon from existence. Like most things about her, Valmet had no idea how she did it.
While she mused and wondered Black Rock Shooter began her raid upon the fridge. After half a minute of digging she found what she was looking for. She held up the red apple into the light, inspecting it for defects while her boot swung the small door closed with a hiss. For some time Koko worried over what to feed her; what she liked or could even eat. During their inspections the answer turned out to be, perhaps unsurprisingly, anything that humans could. Though she did have something of a sweet tooth, showing a marked preference for candy. But for some reason she had a fondness for apples, red ones in particular. According to Lehm, it was most likely Jonah's fault.
The door Koko came out of several minutes earlier swung open, the large man taking up most of the frame.
"Your turn" Wiley announced, waving Tojo on. The latter glanced at his watch and groaned.
"That time isn't it" he groused. Reluctantly he left his rather comfortable chair and trod to him, with five pairs of eyes trailing him.
Koko looked back to the only other woman in her unit and grinned.
"Say Lehm" she said, not facing the former operator.
"Yeah?" went his sardonic reply. Once the fight ended he procured a newspaper and proceeded to bury himself in it. Where he got it was a mystery.
"How do you feel about some time off?" she asked slyly. He looked up from his paper questionably.
"Why? Heading out?" he asked in turn. Valmet, who had picked up the coating and was examining it, looked at her and shined.
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"C'mon, maths not that difficult" he urged to his pupil, who's face was pressed against the desk.
"It is that bad" Jonah insisted dryly. Tojo insistently shook the boys shoulder, but he just let it happen. After a moment of pondering he snapped his fingers.
"I'll take you sightseeing if you can complete the problems on your own" he offered with a grin.
"Don't care" Jonah replied immediately. Tojo scowled.
"Fine. I'll walk you through it. Again" he said broodily while pulling up a chair. The boy lifted his head off the desk and slid the new paper between them. Tojo grumbled as he glanced at the first math question. Multiplication for this case, and not even the difficult variety.
"Now, thirty five times eleven equals what?" he asked, already knowing what would happen.
Jonah looked away as he pondered the question, adopting the same look as a philosopher trying to answer the riddle of life. Five minutes he spent thinking while Tojo's patience slowly receded. What kept him from exploding in frustration was the knowledge of what the taciturn boy soldier went through before joining the group. His family was long dead, his friends either dead as well or far away, and from what the japanese man had read between the lines of his dossier he probably had some severe psychological issues. It was a wonder he wasn't an axe crazy madman.
"Well?" Tojo prodded. Several more seconds went by before Jonah gave an answer.
"More than three hundred" he said with a straight face.
Tojo was completely still for a worrying span of time. Then, slowly and deliberately, he removed his glasses and set them to the side of the office desk, out of the way. That issue taken care off, he was free to let his head drop onto its hard surface with a reverberating thump. Face first like Jonah was and with the addition of a small amount of pain, he groaned.
"Is that correct?" Jonah asked tentatively.
"Three hundred eighty five" he groaned, muffled. The quiet sound of pencil scratching made him bring his aching cranium back up, albeit with his eyes squeezed shut. He grabbed his glasses without looking and replaced them, only opening his eyes once they were firmly back in place. Only then did he look at the boy's paper. A three, an eight, and a five were written in blocky print next to the typed problem. His pencil was hovering over the next problem. Tojo forced a smile.
"Thats not right" he said. Jonah's features fell.
"You said that was the answer" he said, betrayal written across his young face.
"It was. Thirty five times eleven does equal three hundred and eighty five. But" he reached over and gently slid the paper closer to him, to the boy's puzzlement.
"When I was in primary, if a student answered a question without showing the work, the teacher marked it wrong, no matter what the student wrote. Its not enough that you KNOW the answer, you have to show how you got it. Understand?" Tojo explained.
"Okay" was all he said.
"So in this case" Tojo pulled out a pen and began scribbling "Add a zero, carry the fifty, slap it all together and poof, work shown" he turned the marked paper back to Jonah, who looked over it studiously.
"I see" he murmured.
"See? Not so difficult. Now, whats the next one?" Tojo asked. The boy looked back at the paper.
"Seventy three times fifteen" he reported blandly.
"I know that sounds intimidating, but that one is a lot easier to solve than you think. To start with, you-" Tojo began.
Jonah suddenly stood up, pushing the chair back.
"Bathroom" he said quickly.
"Oh. Well, go then. But don't take too long. Koko will..." Tojo trailed off as Jonah moved away, to the restroom. He blinked.
"If you gotta go I guess" he murmured. He looked back and the paper and mentally went through each problem. Answering simple arithmetic was a piece of cake for him. It did make for wonderful distraction material, so much so that when he finished he looked at his watch to discover fifteen minutes had passed. He looked back over to find himself still alone.
A sinking feeling of dread accompanied him as he got to his feet and strode to the closed restroom. He hesitated for a few seconds before knocking, rationalizing the boy's absence. No reply came from the other side however. Carefully, he turned the simple brass knob and pulled the door open.
"Shit" Tojo muttered. When he let go a slight flutter noise caught his attention. He knew what it was before he even saw it. The handwritten explanation wasn't entirely as he predicted, but it was close.
Went for a walk be back by nightfall - Jonah. PS it is that hard, read the note.
"Double shit" Tojo muttered. He didn't know where he got it from, or where he got the tape that stuck it to the door. Either way, Koko would have his head for letting him escape.
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A while after he fretted his boss and his coworker were hitting up the shopping district. Dubai had wonderfully varied markets that catered to virtually everything one could want, for the right price of course. Tourism appeal at its finest. Though Koko wasn't too keen on usual trinkets, the sheer scale of what was available meant she couldn't stay away. She was almost certain she'd leave the city with a goodie or two in her luggage. Valmet's desire was much simpler: she wanted to find a gift. One glance at the size of the markets made her sure she would find something.
The two women certainly stood out in the crowd; one a pale young woman in a beach hat and sunglasses, the other a tall and well built scandinavian with an eyepatch. They were gathering stares from the locals, but fortunately they made no issue of it. Dubai was a trade port that saw people from all around the world. Dealing with foreigners was a fact of life for these people, doubly so when it came to retail. Though Koko suspected if they knew what she did for a living they wouldn't be so nonchalant. Something like lynching wasn't likely, but not out of the question.
"Ooh, this is nice" Koko cooed at the storefront. A nice watch was on display, a Rolex by the look of it. She ogled it through an inch of plate glass while Valmet stood bemusedly behind her.
"Only she would care about watches. Most girls her age check out makeup or hair care" she murmured to herself.
For the second time in ten minutes she glanced at her surroundings. The pair had wandered around checking out stores left and right until she had led them into a walled bazaar filled with shops. Though she didn't want to admit it, Valmet felt leery about being in that area. Too many spots could contain snipers, too many potential assassins could get close. Only two main entrances led in and out, and she knew all too well how easy it would be to block them; cars, bombs, henchmen, et cetera. If someone made an attempt on her life, there wasn't much she could do to stop it.
"Do want" Koko said eagerly. Valmet's worries were pushed to the back of her mind.
"If you want I can buy it for you" she offered excitedly. Koko looked back at her with light surprise.
"Are you sure? I can cover it easily" she said modestly.
"My treat. It'll commemorate our trip" the older woman eagerly. Koko looked away bashfully.
"If you insist" she said shyly.
Score! Valmet though enthusiastically. Once she was inside she pumped a fist in excitement. Her exuberance lasted right up until she saw the price tag of the watch she wanted.
I should've thought this out better, she thought apprehensively. She had quite a bit of money saved away, but the amount still quailed her. The tiny watch cost more than her first car.
Outside, Koko looked up to the sky. A thin shred of cloud hung overhead, and a streak of a jets contrail slowly traced across the blue expanse. Beyond that, the sky was empty. A special shade that nothing on the earth's surface could exactly match. Absently she began scanning for other aircraft and finding nothing save the lone plane. Even though it was approximately twenty thousand feet up, she could tell it was civilian jetliner, a 727 or a 747. Her thoughts went through the mental checklist involved with getting one airborne, identifying a number of critical components. They darkened as she thought of what was to come.
Before the scenario played through to the end, a powerful grip latched onto her wrist.
"As an arms dealer, you have to know that your career will kill you someday. Why do you do it?" questioned a young female voice. Koko's smile vanished as she yanked her arm up, bringing her face to face with the smiling woman.
Girl, she amended. Beneath a large bill hat was a shockingly young woman, no more than eighteen. She wore simple clothes, something that would blend in. Though caucasian, her outfit and age combined to make a largely innocuous appearance. Even in a muslim city, she looked plain enough to be easily overlooked. Her looks were deceiving however; underneath the girl's gloved hand was a vice like hold.
"As an assassin you have no right question my line of work. I'll tell you with my dying breath!" Koko snarled.
Koko swiped her free hand at the girl. Most people under the circumstances would've used the opportunity to attempt to break free and run. Instead, she snatched ahold of the girl's own free hand, locking her in a grip of Koko's own. The girl thrashed, but she underestimated how strong the arms dealer was. Her eyes widened at the strange twist.
"Let me go bitch!" the young assassin cried out.
Several things happened in quick succession. Valmet burst out of the shop with her gun drawn. Dozens of local laws were violated, but she didn't care. Out of the corner of her eye Koko spotted a man under an umbrellaed table turn around with a pistol pointed right at her. She only got a split second glance, but it was enough for her to identify the beach shirted man in sunglasses. The girl noticed and shoved, breaking free from her suddenly limp hold. The gunman was lining up a shot, and Valmet was only a few feet away. There was no way she could reach her in time, or shoot the attacker.
A blur flashed to the side; and a hefty weight slammed into her as gunfire erupted. For a second all she saw was white. Then she and her savior hit the artistically tiled ground hard. What little air was left in her was forced out. She wheezed, hardly audible over the booming of gunfire. The white she saw revealed itself to be a tablecloth, fluttering lazily to the ground. Adrenaline was surging through Koko's system, so while it was in actuality falling fast, she perceived slowly. Slowly enough for her to count five circular holes where bullets tore through it. Painfully she lifted her head and smiled.
"Jonah, why'd you skip out on Tojo again?" Koko asked bemusedly. Lying on top of her, the boy lifted his head and looked at her incredulously.
"Y-you, you're really asking that? What the hell is wrong with you?" Jonah questioned.
"Koko! Stay down!" Valmet shouted, competing with the constant gunfire.
Jonah rolled off Koko and pressed himself flat against the barrier. She looked and discovered they were hiding behind a small rock wall. It was a simple garden, meant to add green without sacrificing ground space. She vaguely recalled reading that these things were popular in the city. It was thick enough that the hail of bullets weren't getting through. Jonah had a gun in his hand, the same one she gave him before, and was holding it above the top. He fired wildly, not hitting anything, and not trying. He was trying to keep them away from the pair.
Valmet was against a thick stone pillar, in the same straits as them. She was relatively safe at the moment, but she had nowhere to run. After listening for a second (and filtering out the terrified screaming) Koko realized there were two guns shooting. She frowned; that made the situation much harder to deal with. She calculated the odds and didnt like the result.
"C'mon bitch! You sell this instruments for a living! Why don't you join the song!?" bellowed the man.
"She's crazy! She probably can't sing worth a damn anyway!" the girl joined.
"What's the matter with these people?" Jonah muttered. He felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked to it and blushed at Koko, who was only inches away.
"Jonah, how did you get here in time?" she asked calmly. He flinched as a ricochet whistled uncomfortably close.
"I saw those two on the street a little while ago. I recognized the man from your computer earlier and followed them" he answered tersely. He leaned over for only a few seconds to squeeze off a couple of shots.
"Learn to play brat!" the man shouted, making Jonah scowl.
"He goes by Orchestra. Used to be a eight man hit group, but got whittled down to just one. That guy. I wasn't aware he picked up an apprentice" Koko explained. Her peaceful disposition was at odds with the violence around him.
"Doesn't explain that" Jonah grunted.
"Hes a nutter that thinks gunfire is music. Normally I'd just call him a loon but this does mean he probably packed a few dozen cases of ammo" she continued.
"Scream to be heard!" the man bellowed as if on cue.
"Koko! You alright?!" Valmet shouted. Koko leaned over Jonah to get a better view. She was relieved to see her unharmed.
"I'm fine, Jonah saved me. How are you holding up?" she asked loudly.
"Could be better" she answered disapprovingly. She leaned around the corner and fired twice with her glock. She dodged back around, narrowly missing the return rife.
Koko reached into her pocket and made a tsk sound.
"Out of all days" she muttered ruefully. Jonah gave her a curious look.
"I forgot my phone" she answered him. He blinked.
"You're kidding me" he said emotionlessly, for a moment forgetting he was in a shootout. She smiled embarrassedly.
"I don't suppose you grabbed yours?" she asked. He shook his head regretfully.
The gunfire tapered off. They boy's first hope was that the assassins were out of ammo. Then reason quashed the brief hope, and he quickly checked his gun to find it empty. Nervously he replaced the magazine with a fresh one. Unseen by him Valmet did the same.
"Hey you still alive?" the girl yelled. Though his ears were ringing Jonah could hear sirens in the distance.
"Yep!" Koko shouted. The man, Orchestra, grunted annoyedly.
"Damn. After such a good performance too" he said disappointedly. He shot again for emphasis.
"Hey girl! Whats your name?" Koko called out.
"Is Chinatsu! Remember that name, 'cuz its what you'll tell Saint Peter!" she yelled giddily. Koko flashed a smile.
"Can I borrow your cellphone?" she yelled.
Silence descended over the bazaar.
"What?" Valmet asked quietly.
"What?" Orchestra grunted.
"Huh?" Jonah raised an eyebrow.
"Wah-what?" Chinatsu stuttered. Jonah risked looking over the pockmarked stone barrier. She and the man looked as dumfounded as they sounded.
"I forgot mine" she explained embarrassedly.
"N-no! I'm trying to kill you! Why in God's name would I give you my phone?" the girl sputtered.
"Because despite killing people for a living you're a good person inside, and you let strangers make calls on your phone?" Koko asked sweetly.
"Are you insane?" Orchestra bellowed.
"Or is it your data plan? Extra charges for long distances?" she went on.
Jonah reluctantly took his eyes off of them and looked at her. She was smirking. Near the ground her hands were contorting around in her code sign. With dawning understanding he looked back at Valmet, who had her own phone to her ear. As he watched she clicked it off and put it away. Eight minutes, she mouthed. Koko nodded.
"You know what? Go to hell!" the two shouted in unison. The gunfire started up again, almost drowning out the wailing sirens.
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Lehm sighed as he ended the call. Ugo, Wiley, Lutz, Mao, and Tojo looked at him apprehensively.
"Okay, new rule. The little lady doesn't leave without at least three escorts. Clear?" he asked grumpily.
"Kay" the five men grimly chorused.
"Good. Next issue, saving her, Jonah, and Valmet. First we get them out of the frying pan, and put those assassins into the fire" he said, flashing a vicious smile.
"Any restrictions?" Mao asked.
"No explosives. And try to keep civilian casualties down" he answered. A hint of a frown crossed Wiley's features.
"What're we waiting for?" Lutz said eagerly, hefting a rifle.
While Lehm relayed the news Black Rock Shooter was examining an apple, utterly oblivious to the situation. When the men rose up and filed to the door, she judged it perfect. She opened her mouth to take a bite but Ugo grabbed her but the hood of her jacket. The girl jerked in surprise, dropping the delectable fruit. While he dragged her on her heels she plaintively reached for it as it fell to the floor, forever tainted. It lay forgotten as the hotel door slammed shut, its occupants off to teach the fools who dared threaten their boss's life a lesson in civility.
A/N: This chapter didn't go how I wanted it to, but its been this long since I updated anything, so here you are. Besides, its at 6000 words, a little unwieldy wouldn't you say?
By the way, 73 x 15 = 1095, in case you were wondering.
