Author's Note: Thank you to my new followers: tn65loverinuy620jd, and fanficnewbiee. It is always appreciated.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

Ch. 4

"Screw this damn snow."

Inuyasha was sure he sounded like a grumpy old man, but it didn't matter to him. Today was supposed to be the first day of his 'creeping' on Kanna Lee. If she had direct ties to Naraku as T-corp was led to believe, then he was one giant step closer to being Scott free from all this mess. Matter of fact, when this was over, he was going to quit working for Taisho Corporations as an agent. There had to be safer, more convenient jobs out there than this.

He had some ideas on where to start looking. According to the files that his asshole of an older half brother emailed him, Kanna didn't travel much. Apparently Byakuya told T-corp interrogators that she only comes out at night. When asked why, he got silent. So night time it would be.

The current case reports in Osaka state that four girls had gone missing a couple months ago. Inuyasha made another note of that. It seems that nearly all of his missions were centering around missing children, particularly girls. He couldn't figure out why though. When he tried to think of what Naraku could want with teenage and below girls, he shuddered. He really hoped to every kami that it wasn't what he thought it was. All four girls were sixteen and attended a small high school in Osaka. There didn't seem to be anything special about them or their family. Just normal working class people trying to get by in the world. All four girls were friends, and they disappeared one night while walking back from a movie theatre.

Inuyasha went ahead and put two and two together and decided that Kanna, the lady who only came out at night, was responsible for the girl's disappearance, which happened at night. But since the girls were all taken at once, there was no way to find a pattern in Kanna's actions. The bitch was clever, Inuyasha would give her that, but certainly not clever enough. Over the years Inuyasha had learned that finding a flaw in a system or in someone's actions could prove to be just as effective as the cliché 'seek and destroy' tactics. Charging into battle head first wasn't always a good idea, but it got the job done. Sitting down and waiting for someone to make a mistake was effective, but always took a long time. Inuyasha didn't know how much time he had. If there were girls missing, he hoped they were being held hostage instead of dead. What could a half demon want with human souls?

"Better get to it" he said to himself. Inuyasha got up from his kitchen table and went to his room. He grabbed a pair of black pants and black boots for the snow. He threw on a white long sleeve shirt and a black bomber over it. Of course, he couldn't forget shades and a beanie. If someone asked him why he wore shades in the winter, he would just flick them off. It wasn't there business that he was hiding his identity. Making sure that he tucked a gun in his jacket and some extra bullets for measure, he made his way out of the apartment. He didn't need to carry much. If he was fatally wounded on the mission, someone would find him and report him to the nearest hospital, so he never carried a cell phone. Sesshomaru always had a way of keeping tabs on him somehow; it was kind of disturbing. Plus the risks of someone tapping in his phone were too high, so no phone for him.

It was still daylight, if you could say that. More like it was day time with a sheet of white particles clouding the sky. The best thing for him to do at the moment was learn the city. Find places where a woman like Kanna Lee might hide. This was going to be especially hard to do since no one has seen any activity from her since those two months ago. But Byakuya claimed that she was still in Osaka. Either she was here, or somebody was lying. Either way, Inuyasha would detain her, and get back home.

888

"But Kagome. You boost our ratings every time you post! You can't simply take the week off!"

This was tedious. Kagome was in her beloved boss' office trying to ask for the rest of the week off. Her ratings for her last article were amazing, and she felt like some time off was well deserved.

Lies. It was that week. The week where she couldn't even bring herself to eat, much less focus on writing.

"Mr. Lomax, please. Yura and I have been working double time to publish these articles, and I feel like we both need some time off. That'll give some of the other online journalists a chance, right?"

Although Kai was a great boss and leader, he was also stubborn and showed favoritism towards the people that brought in the most dollars for Tokyo's Own. No one dared to test him though. He was a shorter man, a little bulky, brown skinned, and wore square rim glasses. Even though people disliked him sometimes, no one could ever hate him. He had a smile and laugh that could light up an entire room.

Still annoying though.

"Miss Higurashi, no no no! Is that what this is about? Giving other people a chance? Are other journalists bullying you? Do I need to intervene? They're just jealous. Jealous that you get better ratings and you're going to get this award and get a pay raise…"

"Mr. Lomax, I can't work this week" Kagome interrupted with. She hadn't intended telling her business, but she was desperate. It was Monday and Wednesday was the day. Just last night she found herself waking up out of nightmares of Inuyasha's blood on her hands somehow. Her appetite was gone because of that alone. The last thing she needed was to sit in a quiet office where she was subject to the silence screaming the truth. The truth being that she was alone.

"What in the kami's names, why not!?" Kai half yelled.

"I…I lost someone important to me around this time of year and I cannot bring myself to work effectively in the midst of my grief."

There. That was the most professional way to put it. She wasn't going to break down in her boss' office and beg for a break. If it was absolutely necessary that she work, then so be it. But kami if there was a way to avoid it...

"I…wasn't aware, Kagome. And I am truly sorry. But are you sure you want to skip a week?" Kai seemed truly concerned, but Kagome knew better. His concern was for the dollars, and not her wellbeing.

"I'll be alright. One week won't kill me. Hell, you can even dock my pay, just please." Kagome was becoming desperate. Even when she tried to convince him that she would be fine with a week's absence, his face said otherwise. It said 'I'm not letting you take off.' If only she could truly express how upset she already was. Mr. Lomax sighed and placed his intertwined hands underneath his chin. Kagome prayed that whatever he was contemplating would lean towards her being able to take off. It was embarrassing, yes, to let something that happened so long ago affect her entire work ethic now.

"Alright" Kai answered after what felt like ages. "Take the week off, and I won't dock your pay. But if you do this again…"

"I know" Kagome interrupted. Kai had a pet peeve with slackers.

"You're dismissed, and I offer condolences in your time of bereavement."

His office phone soon rang after his sentence, and Kagome took this as her cue to leave. His words of parting sounded as sincere as someone merely discussing the weather, but she didn't expect anything different from Kai. She decided to stop by the main office to see if Yura showed up to work, and was glad when she saw her sitting at her desk waiting for her.

"What's our schedule today, boss?" Yura asked in a cheery voice.

"Our schedule" Kagome started while sitting in her desk chair and leaning back "is that we don't have a schedule. I'm taking the week off."

Yura looked shocked at Kagome's statement. She only started working for her two months ago anyway, so it wasn't like she knew why.

"Kagome, I'm…I don't understand. You never take time off. Is something wrong? Is it because you know you're getting the journalist of the year award? You know what people always say, never get comfortable. Stay on your toes."

Yura kept babbling about something, but Kagome was no longer listening. She was tired. Tired of explaining, tired of crying, tired of feeling tired. These feelings had come upon her over the weekend, and if things were this bad now, she could only imagine how she would be feeling later.

"And you're not even listening to me" Yura shouted. Kagome turned her distant gaze on Yura's face and smiled mildly.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't. What were you saying?" she asked kindly.

"I was saying" Yura started while checking her nails "that the awards ceremony is in three weeks. Your ratings are still surpassing others, but you have one person on your tail. Kagura Kaze. Her ratings aren't as good as yours, but if you slack off…"

"I won't. I'm not" Kagome interrupted. Was this all people cared about? Kagome Higurashi from Tokyo's Own wins journalist of the year. It sounded amazing, she couldn't lie, but there was so much more to her work than the title. Everything she wrote she put her heart and soul into. She researched the feelings of the common folk and applied it to her writing, which is what kept her in good standings with the public. She wasn't born into some high class life, and she wasn't always financially blessed. Everything she had now came from understanding and determination. She hoped people saw that instead of only 'journalist of the year.'

And Kagura Kaze. She too worked at Tokyo's Own and was also in the ranks for journalist of the year. Most journalists came from different news stations in Tokyo, but there were two nominated from the same news station, thus creating tension. Personally, Kagome had no problem with Kagura. Sometimes the two would go out for a quick coffee date or meet up in the lounge accidentally. Either way, they laughed and made conversation. On a business level however, Kagome disagreed with her style of writing. Kagura appealed more to the first class people in Tokyo and Japan. She was favorited for her gossipy articles and reviews about restaurants that only the fortunate could afford. Hell, the woman looked like one million bucks every day with her high heels in every color, expensive suits, black hair in a bun, and blood red nails. The demoness truly embodied the branch of 'news' that Kagome disliked.

But other than that, she had absolutely no problem with the woman who's office was a few doors down from hers. Her office had a huge glass window for a great view of the city, while Kagome's had only one small one that was decorated with a picture of her and her father when she was little. Underneath the photo was a sticky note with a quote her father always told her.

"Dream big, and your winnings will be bigger."

Kagome followed that quote all of her life. Other than journalist of the year, her ultimate goal was to own Tokyo's Own one day. Of course she'd have to wait for Kai to kick the bucket or give it to her, which wasn't going to happen anytime soon, or at all.

"But if you wanna take the week off then go ahead."

Yura had been talking all this time, yet again Kagome was not listening. She was so busy reflecting.

"Yura, what if we owned this place one day?" Kagome asked with longing in her voice.

"What? What have you been smoking? Kai would die ten times before he gave this place up."

Both women began to laugh and imagine a constant reviving Kai. This station was his stronghold, and heavens forbid he ever lose it. They'd be sure to visit him in the asylum.

"You never told me how the little lunch date with Mr. Mori went" Yura cooed. Kagome winced at her editor's tone and decided that saying less would be enough.

"It was nice. We talked, ate, laughed, and then I went home." Kagome stood to tidy up her little office since she wouldn't be there the rest of the week. She smirked when she heard Yura click her tongue behind her.

"Tsk tsk tsk, Kagome. Hojo has been on your ass for years from what I know, and you still haven't kissed him? I wonder how he does it."

"How he does what?" Kagome asked loudly.

"How he stands getting turned down every time."

"I didn't turn him down! I went out with him, didn't I?" Kagome half yelled.

"For the second time in years, and you still haven't kissed him! Miss Higurashi, are you sure you're into the male species?"

Before Kagome could chuck her small earth stress ball at Yura for her insinuation, the editor had gotten up and bolted out of Kagome's office saying she would see her next week, laughing all the way down the quiet hallway. Kagome let a full smile show. Yura was a great partner and a great friend, but there were some things that she still didn't know about Kagome.

Inuyasha being the main thing, of course.

She was sick of thinking about him. It wasn't as if she hadn't thought about him every day since the morning he left to never return. But this week, the thoughts and reflection affected her more than any other time of the year. She hated the month of January now. She was sure her mother would be calling her sometime soon to check in on her grief stricken daughter. Sango had already texted her this morning with a quote about moving on. It was a sweet gesture, but it irritated her. Was she really so hopeless?

Of course not, Sango was only trying to help, and Kagome mentally scolded herself for thinking anything different. She shook her head and sighed, grabbing her purse and double checking to make sure her desktop was shut down completely. Her door closed behind her with an echoing sound, and soon her heels and shuffling were the only noises in the hallway. She hated when it was this quiet at work. She liked to hear people laughing and chattering amongst themselves on the floor's lounge; floor 16 out of 30. Personally she had never been on the thirtieth floor because that was the executive board's meeting room. Maybe one day she'd make it there. Taking the elevator down to the parking garage, she trudged her way to her car lost in thought. She was hungry, but she didn't want to eat. A permanent, nagging nausea had been in the pit of her stomach since last night's nightmare. She was sure that skipping one meal would be alright, just for today.

As she pulled off, she never noticed the person watching her from behind a tall pillar the entire time.

888

"You need to make an appointment."

"Can he spare two seconds? It's important" Kouga asked with irritation laced in his voice.

"Everything is always important" Kikyo drawled. "People say that all the time when they wish to speak with Mr. Taisho, and they still have to make an appointment. You are no exception."

Kouga ground his teeth and attempted to keep his wits about him. He never liked Kikyo, and never understood why Sesshomaru would hire this human woman to be his personal assistant. Rumors had spread around the building, quietly for their sake, that the two were a thing. Kouga didn't care, but he also didn't like the woman's attitude. She looked impassive yet stony, icy and warm all at once. It confused him, and he hated puzzles. He calmly placed his hands on the desk in front of him in hopes that his stance would stress the importance of his request to talk to Sesshomaru.

"Look, Kikyo" he said lowly "the matters of which I need to discuss with Sess-, eh, Mr. Taisho are more important than you think. I can't explain to you what it is right now, but I'm on to something and I think he would want to be informed."

Kikyo looked up from her computer screen and stared at Kouga for what felt like days. She reached under her secretary desk and pulled out a plain white binder full of dates and times.

"The next available date is this Friday at 2pm. Is that alright with you?" she asked flatly.

Politeness be damned.

"Look here you boring, stick up the ass, bi…"

"Is there an issue here?"

Kouga paused and took a breath before turning around slowly. Sesshomaru had just walked in and probably only heard the tail end of that conversation. The stoic demon lord was looking put together and uninviting as usual. Only Kouga sensed a hint of anger somewhere in his scent, but it was concealed quite well. Maybe he only imagined it.

"Mr. Convel requested an audience with you, and I told him he'd have to wait" Kikyo answered. It took willpower for Kouga not to turn around and glare that the damn woman.

"I am pressed for time." Sesshomaru dropped the formalities. He walked as gracefully as ever over to a pair of large black doors leading to his office. Kouga would have thought that meant 'no' until he heard Sesshomaru call out.

"Make this quick."

Doing exactly that, he followed Sesshomaru into his grand office, making sure to turn around and smirk at Kikyo on the way. Following quickly behind the demon lord, Kouga made sure to close the doors behind him. The office was utterly quiet; air cool in the room. Here his office was, black with gold accents thrown in the room. The dark carpet, black oval desk, black chairs all laced in gold décor. The artwork in the room was impressive. Kouga had forgotten how elegant Sesshomaru liked things despite his never ending impassiveness. He waited for his boss to take a seat behind the desk before he sat in front. It was a sign of respect.

"Mr. Taisho…" Kouga started.

"Kouga, please. The formalities are not needed here" Sesshomaru answered flatly as ever. The invitation may have been nice, but his tone of voice contradicted that. It's not as if they were close, but Kouga's fighting skills placed him on the high list of T-corp. He and Sesshomaru were always having meetings, of course in the company of others. Not to mention he was the best friend to his deceased brother.

"Sesshomaru, it's about…Inuyasha."

No matter how long Kouga had been in Sesshomaru's company, he would never get used to his scrutinizing gaze. How one person could make you shit your pants with just the look in their eyes, Kouga would never know. When he stated his business Sesshomaru did not flinch whatsoever.

"What about him?" he asked in a bored tone. Kouga inhaled deeply and exhaled, making sure not to prolong the lord's time.

"Sir, Sesshomaru, eh…I've been reviewing the strategies and skills of other T-corp facilities in Asia in this pursuit of Naraku Onigumo, and something seemed odd to me. Other facilities have no direct reports of their agents taking down any assailants of Naraku's of any kind, yet somehow they are getting taken out. Sure, the facilities are busy with other cases, but not this one. Every rogue demon or human taken in sport the same injuries; five shallow claw marks across the chest diagonally. I've always thought about it but it always seemed impossible. Inuyasha was the only one I've ever known to use such strategies, and since no other facilities have direct ties to this mission…"

"You are suggesting my brother is alive, are you not?"

The interruption was acutely sudden, making Kouga's heart speed up. He couldn't show his nervousness now or Sesshomaru might not ever take him seriously.

"Take it into consideration. We never actually saw a body; just you. But maybe there was some kind of mix up between him and Bankotsu…"

"Are you doubting my familiarity to identify my own brother's dead body, Kouga?"

Once again, so sudden.

"N-no sir. It's just strange. Maybe if I could talk to the other facilities…"

"That is quite enough."

His tone sounded more stern than impassive, and Kouga knew he wasn't getting any farther than where he was now. But this was Inuyasha they were talking about. If there was even the smallest chance he was alive, shouldn't they follow that lead? Certainly Sesshomaru would be happy to have his brother back.

"Sesshomaru, the casket was closed" Kouga spoke lowly.

"The body was burned. Marred to be exact. Not suitable for display." Sesshomaru nearly spat the word display out, and Kouga knew he was touching too many nerves, but he didn't want to back down. That determination lit in his eyes, and Sesshomaru knew it all too well.

"The look of a man in desperation" Sesshomaru stated matter-of-factly. Before Kouga could express his confusion, Sesshomaru continued.

"My father always told me that anything less than perfection was unacceptable. Perfection is defined as the state of flawlessness. That quote came from Inu no Taisho himself, yet he was killed in a state of weakness caused by sentimentality. Sentimentality is such an unnecessary quality in this field of work, and we cannot afford to be anything less than perfect. The moment we let our guard down is the moment Taisho corporation falls. I am not my father, and I will not fall. Inuyasha is dead. Reflection is necessary for those who cannot move on. Kouga, I advise you move on."

His words were strung together, and unless you knew what kind of demon Sesshomaru was then you wouldn't understand the meaning of his words. Kouga absorbed everything he just heard and clenched his jaw in irritation and defeat. Standing up to dismiss himself as Sesshomaru casually logged onto his desktop to work, Kouga walked towards the exit. Before he could open the door to leave, he turned to speak over his shoulder.

"You know, my father always told me that the only thing you could be happy about in the very last days of your life was the people that you had grown to love. If you're trying to say that Inuyasha died because he was less than perfect or a less than perfect fighter, then you must not have respected him at all. If there is one thing you implement above everything else, that is respect. Yet you won't practice what you preach, not even for your own brother. Not my take on perfection, Sesshomaru. And I'll reflect if I want to."

Kouga was sure he'd either be getting fired our suspended without pay for his speech to his superior, but he wouldn't hold his tongue. But it was okay to agree to disagree, right? Surely Sesshomaru would realize that with his perfect mind. Kouga thought on these things as he left the office and headed to the elevator to leave the top floor. When he was in the elevator, Kouga realized that in the midst of all that talk Sesshomaru managed to avoid answering his inquiries yet again!

"Damn it all!" he spoke out loud in his angry, gruff voice. When the elevator pinged to alert his arrival to the first floor he walked out in a huff. He probably needed to go to the gym to blow of some steam. Getting in his black mustang he pulled off in the direction of his apartment so he could change into some workout clothes. Maybe Sesshomaru was right. Maybe his reflection was the sign of a man that could not move on. Kouga had moved on, but was he not allowed to feel grief for the best friend that had died so unjustly. And another thing! Why was Sesshomaru not more pressed to finding Naraku now more than ever? This situation should have been taken care of. The loss of a loved one should have lit a fire under his cold ass, yet here they were three years later, only slightly closer to the end than three years ago. Somehow, somewhere, work was getting done. But it's like no one, no records could tell him who had done it. There were so many loopholes in Inuyasha's death that Kouga could not feel settled. Until something was completely over and done with, he couldn't feel content. Call it a flaw, but that's how he is. Inuyasha would always tell him he worried too much.

"Maybe I do" Kouga said lowly with a smirk. He should probably be paying more attention to traffic, but he had good senses. It dawned on him that he needed to visit Kagome too. This was that dreaded week. He was sure his other best friend would fake her happiness for the sake of everyone leaving her alone to cry. It happened every year. He, Ayame, Sango, and Miroku would all go out for lunch or some kind of activity to let her know that she was not alone in all this, so she shouldn't have to be alone on that day. He knew Sango and Miroku bought the fake façade, at least halfway. But two wolf demon descendants with great senses could pick up on the misery right away. It poked at his heart to still see her suffer so much. It reminded him of her scent when he told her the terrible news. It was her usual jasmine tea smell, but that time it was doused in anger and sadness. It made his nose burn.

And his instincts were never to be ignored either. His gut was hardly ever wrong. To be honest, Kouga couldn't recall a time where his gut was wrong. He just felt something; whatever it was gave him some kind of hope. There had to be more to this Naraku hanyou than what was known. There had to be some motive behind his actions to take out T-corp. Had there been bad blood between he and elder Taisho? At that question, Kouga immediately made an illegal u-turn and headed towards the interstate. If there was any person left on this planet with knowledge about Taisho corporation's past, it was sure to be Totosai!

Author's Note: Sorry this took so long guys. Blame it on the school work. Thank you to everyone supporting this. I hope this story gains more popularity as we go on because I'm confident in this plot.

Review Please!