Chapter 4: The Black Order
Jaz couldn't open her eyes. A sound, something constantly beeping at regular intervals, was drilling into her head. Something was holding her down, and she couldn't move at all. She started to panic. "BB... No!" she yelled. "No, not the table, please!" She started to thrash, and the beeping intensified. "L! Matt! Mello! Near! Help, help me, please! Don't let him do this to me!"
Cool hands gently gripped her arms, and Jaz immediately relaxed, knowing that BB's hands were warm and calloused, not smooth like these. "Shh, it's okay." a girl's voice soothed.
"I can't see." Jaz almost sobbed, but her eyes were dry.
"Oh, I'm sorry." the voice said, and something was lifted from her head gently. She looked over as her eyes adjusted and saw that it was the girl from before, not Karma or Road, but the one they had run into when they left Jaz's prison. The girl was holding some white gauze.
"Was that on my eyes?" Jaz's voice was thick and hoarse from screaming and it still had unshed tears.
The girl nodded. "Yes. I'm Lenalee. I found you and your friends and brought you to the hospital. What is your name?"
Jaz furrowed her eyebrows. "I..." What was it? She had been there for so long she couldn't remember. All she knew were the names of the people she dreamed of whenever she got even a little bit of sleep. Didn't she have a necklace with her initial on it? "My necklace!" she gasped. She was able to free one arm, since she was only tightly wrapped in sheets. She groped around for her necklace. She knew that BB hadn't taken it. The only time he had tried, Jaz had ended up having a seizure. Road had forbidden him from ever touching it. Jaz started to shake.
"It's right here." Lenalee said, holding it out to her. Jaz struggled to sit up, but Lenalee gently pushed her back down and clasped the necklace around her throat. Jaz realized that she was only dressed in a hospital gown, and she lightly blushed, realizing that someone had changed her clothes. Lenalee smiled. "It's okay." she said in her gentle, foreign voice. "It was a female nurse who changed your clothes."
Jaz relaxed. "Thank you for telling me. I was worried. How did you find us?"
Lenalee shrugged. "I was on patrol, and my rounds took me to the warehouses. You were in pretty bad shape when I found you, though."
The door flew open, drawing the girls' attention. Lenalee stood, positioning herself so that her body was in between Jaz and the door. Jaz cowered backward, convinced that BB or someone else who posed a threat to her well-being had found her. But the men who faced her were people who she had never thought she would see again. "Jaz!" they yelled in unison.
Jaz's eyes brightened, and she forced herself onto her feet and stumbled into the arms of her nearest visitor. "L!" she cried, bunching his white T-shirt in her fists. "L." She finally lost all control of her emotions, and the floodgates opened. Tears coursed down her face in rapid succession, soaking L's shirt and making it see-through in certain places. L, Near, Matt, and Mello all stared at her with wide eyes, surprised that she was actually capable of tears. They had never seen her cry before. The other boys hugged Jaz as well, all of them participating in one giant group hug. Jaz looked at them, smiling happily. "Matt, Mello, Near. I thought about you every day. I never forgot about you, not ever."
Near looked up into her eyes, crying as well. "I never forgot you either, Jaz. You're my big sister, and I love you."
Jaz covered her mouth with one shaking hand. Not even her parents had ever said that to her. This was the first time in her whole life that someone had ever told her that. "You do?"
Mello nodded firmly, and Matt smiled. "Of course we do, J." the redhead said.
L smiled and hugged her tighter. "We all love you, little sis."
"BB had you for three years, Jaz." Mello finally spoke.
Jaz froze. "He what?" Her eyes were wide, and she had stopped crying. "You mean... I'm seventeen?" L nodded grimly. "Three years..." Jaz murmured, her tears stopping as her voice went icy and her face became calculating. "That's 1,096 days of consecutive torture." Lenalee gasped, but not loud enough for the others to hear her.
L stiffened. "What did he do to you, Jaz?"
Jaz smiled grimly. "Everything short of chopping off body parts. He just wouldn't let it end. I didn't make one sound after the first night, though. I wouldn't give him that satisfaction."
"Yes." Everyone's eyes snapped to the doorway, where a doctor stood. "I was highly surprised to find that none of your sister's wounds are going to scar. It's a miracle, to tell you the truth. I found signs of brutal torture."
L's voice had returned to its monotone as he asked the question that everyone except for Jaz was wondering. "What did this brutal torture consist of?"
The doctor looked at Jaz, who nodded her head and placed her hands over Near's ears. He gently removed them. "It's okay, Jaz. I need to know too." Jaz just nodded again.
The doctor looked L straight in the eyes. "This BB did horrible things to her. Your sister came in with 8 broken ribs, her whole body bruised and bloody, and I found burns, water damage, massive internal bleeding, even holes. It's really amazing how fast Jaz heals."
Everyone was silent. Jaz stood straight and tall. "He dunked me for minutes on end, until black spots swam across my vision. He stuck me with lots of sharp objects, not to mention hot pokers. There were lighters, cigarettes, and empty glass bottles involved. He would strangle me, he would cut me up, so deep you could see the bone. He also would strap me to a table. It was metal, and it was hooked up to a generator. When he turned it on, it conducted electricity. He turned it up high, but not high enough to kill me. Just enough for me to wish I was dead. That's not even the worst part. The worst part was that when he would cut me, he would lick up all the blood. I'm entirely certain that Road is the only reason I am still a virgin."
Everyone stared at Jaz in horror, but then something she said clicked in Near's mind. "Who is Road?"
Jaz smiled. "She was there to protect me. I was her playmate. She would patch me up after BB had his fun. She had to hit me, or BB would take me away from her. And Karma got us out. Karma is like my older sister. They tortured her too."
"I can take you to them." the doctor spoke up, still reeling form the extent of this girl's pain.
Jaz smiled. "Will you?" The doctor turned and led the way. The rest followed, with Matt and Mello supporting Jaz. They walked down the hall a little ways, and the doctor motioned to a closed door. L opened it, and Jaz tore away from the rest of them when she saw that Karma was awake. "Karma!" she yelled, throwing herself into the older girl's arms.
"Hey, ninja." Karma said affectionately. "You heal up fast."
Jaz rolled her eyes. "Of course I do. You've seen evidence of that." Karma just smiled, playing the role of big sister. "Is Road okay?" Jaz asked, looking pointedly at the white curtain that separated the two girls.
Karma nodded. "Yeah, of course she is. She's just taking it a little hard, is all." Jaz pulled back the curtain to reveal the sleeping form of the former Noah. She looked normal, for once.
Road stirred, rolling over to face Jaz as her eyes fluttered open. "Jaz!" she exclaimed, scrambling up onto her knees. "I am so, so, so sorry!"
Jaz smiled. "It's okay, Road. You had no choice."
Lenalee stiffened, realizing just who this girl was. "Road Kamelot." she said, her voice not revealing any of the hostility she felt.
Road's eyes widened in surprise when she saw the Chinese girl. "Hey, doll. Thanks for the save."
Jaz gave Lenalee a look that clearly said, "We will talk about this later, but for now, don't bring it up."
Lenalee forced herself to relax. "Well, let's get you girls dressed and out of here!" she said, forcing herself to sound cheerful.
Everyone agreed. L handed Jaz a duffel bag full of clothing. "I figured you would need this." he said. "I know BB, and his methods are very... messy. I had assumed that your clothing would be competely ruined."
"Thanks, L. You're a genius." Jaz said, hugging him and then returning to the room she had woken up in. She rifled through the duffel, finding a black and white striped long-sleeved T-shirt, black skinny jeans, black socks, and black combat boots. There was also a bra and a pair of panties. Jaz smirked to herself, realizing that most of the clothing was Matt's, except for the underwear, of course. She braided her knee-length white hair, muttering to herself about how she needed to get it cut. When she was done, a thick rope of hair hung over her left shoulder, dangling down to her waist. Someone knocked on the door. "Come in." she called.
Matt opened the door, closing it as soon as he was inside. "Hey. My clothes fit you. I was hoping they would." he said. He had an expression on his face, a mix of guilt, sadness, and self-loathing.
Jaz knew that look. "No. Don't you dare go blaming yourself for me getting kidnapped." Matt opened his mouth to deny it, but he closed his mouth when he realized that it was true. Jaz sighed. "Look, Matt, it was my fault. I should have stayed with you guys."
Matt smiled. "You know me too well, J."
Jaz smirked. "So, are you and Mello a couple yet?" Matt blushed and stayed silent. "I knew it! You are, aren't you?" He nodded. Jaz hugged him. "My work here is done."
Matt rolled his eyes. "You look good, Jaz, considering." Jaz slung an arm around her best friend, grinning, and they exited the room.
Mello hugged them both, clad in his usual leather getup. He quickly kissed Matt on the cheek, causing Matt to blush as red as his hair as Jaz squealed happily. "Hey, babe." he said. Jaz smirked wickedly, and pushed Matt so that Mello caught him as their lips touched. It turned into a full-on makeout session, and Jaz left them to their own devices. She found L a few minutes later. He was deep in conversation with Karma, and Near was talking to Road. Karma was dressed in the exact same outfit as L, which consisted of a long-sleeved white T-shirt, baggy jeans, and black Converse. Road was wearing a white T-shirt as well, and Jaz figured it was Near's. Road was also wearing white skinny jeans and white DC's. Jaz tried to imagine her little brother wearing those jeans and failed miserably. She snickered at the resulting image, alerting everyone to her presence.
"Hey, Jaz." Road said. She stood, her blue hair hung around her face, not up in its usual spiky hairdo. It stood out against the white of her clothes nicely.
"Hey, Road." Jaz hugged the girl who had tried to protect her against BB, even if it was only for her own gain. She was no longer a Noah, so she could be trusted. "How are you feeling?" Road understood the underlying message of Is the Noah really gone?
Road nodded. "Yeah, I'm actually feeling great. I feel the same way I did before all that happened. The Noah is gone, and I feel the way I did before I was possessed.
Jaz smiled and turned to Karma. She and L stood side-by-side, and Jaz was shocked by their similarities. "You guys look like twins." she stated. The two people in question observed each other, laughing when they noticed what Jaz had noticed.
Lenalee cleared her throat, not comfortable to be so close to a Noah. She had no idea that Road was just a normal human once again. "Let's get out of here." she said. Everyone nodded, and Matt and Mello returned as soon as they all filed out the door.
Jaz laughed at their flushed cheeks and swollen lips. "Have fun, you guys?" Matt blushed, and Mello smirked. They continued out of the building, and Jaz reveled in the feeling of the sun on her skin. She listened to the sounds of footsteps that surrounded her, their group the only people in the area. But then she heard something else. It was a different pair of footsteps, and they were following from a distance. Jaz discreetly moved up through the group until she was by Karma and L, who were talking about some weird thing that they both had in common. They looked at her with interest, but she motioned for them not to acknowledge her. Confused, they complied. "We're being followed." Jaz murmured, so low they almost couldn't hear her.
Karma stiffened. "Tell Lenalee." she replied in the same manner, still pretending to talk to L. L just nodded.
Jaz shuffled over to Lenalee, who was walking by herself, a little apart from the group. "Yes?" Lenalee asked, looking up in surprise. Jaz repeated what she had told the other two. Lenalee snapped her gaze to meet Jaz's eyes, slightly stiffening at the resemblance they bore to the Noah's eyes. "Are you completely positive?"
"Yes." Jaz confirmed. "There are eight pairs of footsteps here, and that includes my own. That is just our group. And further back, about fifty yards, there is another pair of footsteps. They have been there ever since we left the hospital."
At that moment, their follower decided to make himself known. It was the doctor, and Jaz breathed a sigh of relief. She went over to see what he needed, her hands tingling the whole time for some unknown reason, but he kept his gaze on Lenalee and the coat she wore, which bore a strange silver crest. Suddenly his whole body seemed to bubble, and Jaz stumbled back in horror, a terrified cry catching in her throat as he exploded, morphing into a large, round monster. It was gray, and it had a black and white face twisted into a grotesque mask of sorrow. Multiple appendages protruded from all over its rotund form, and they bent until they were aiming for Jaz. Jaz's hands burned with a pain rivaling that of her experience with Karma a few hours previous. Lenalee shouted something that sounded suspiciously like "Innocence, activate!" and ran past Jaz's writhing body.
Everyone except for Lenalee, Road, and Karma retreated away from the creature, dragging Jaz along with them. "Jaz!" L yelled, trying to make her snap out of whatever was making her act like this. Then he noticed that her hands were glowing with a light that was so dark it was almost black. She yelled and spasmed once more, and everyone jumped back as something sharp shot out of both her hands. She stood, and everyone stared in awe. "Jaz..." L gasped. "Your hands!" Three blades that were as black as the onyx in her chest were coming out of her hands. They were spaced between her knuckles, so they looked suspiciously like claws.
Lenalee turned toward the commotion, momentarily distracted from the... whatever it was. Her eyes widened at the sight of Jaz's new developments. "You're an Exorcist?" she asked in disbelief.
Jaz looked at her. "I don't have any clue what you're talking about, but I do know that this has never happened before." Suddenly something caught her eye. "Lenalee!" she yelled. "Look out!" The creature was behind Lenalee, aiming its weapons at her. Jaz ran forward and flung Lenalee aside, careful not to touch her with her claws. She then executed a perfect backflip, kicking the disgusting thing in the face as she did so. When she landed, she kicked off of the ground, and her arms moved of their own volition, slicing her claws into the demonic creature. She pulled her arms close and spun, drillling through the hole she had just made. She hit the ground and rolled, coming up on one knee with her head bent just as the creature exploded behind her. The strands of hair that had come undone from her braid during the fight swayed in the air, finally coming to a rest as she lifted her head.
Silence. Everyone was speechless, even Jaz herself. "That was impressive." a new voice said.
Jaz stood and turned to face the newcomer, or newcomers, plural. Two men stood by Lenalee, and they looked to be around Jaz's age. The taller one was standing with his hands behind his head, as if he were laying down. He had shockingly bright red hair, even brighter than Matt's vermillion locks. They were held back from his face by a green headband. An eyepatch covered his right eye. The other eye was a bright, vibrant green. He was wearing a coat that reached the middle of his thigh. It bore the same crest as Lenalee's. Jaz shifted her gaze to the other man. Although his features were very feminine, Jaz could tell that he was a male because of his stature and the way he held himself. He had long, dark blue hair that, under closer inspection, turned out to actually be black. He had a katana strapped to his hip, and his cobalt eyes glittered with arrogance. He also wore the crested coat, but his reached his calves. "Lenalee," Jaz said, turning to the only person who seemed to know anything because she was too wary of these men to approach them directly. "Who are these men?"
Lenalee's eyes flashed with mirth. "How do you know that Kanda is a man?" she asked, gesturing to the feminine man. The redhead roared with laughter while the offended growled angrily.
Jaz crossed her arms. "Che. That was very rude of you. But, to answer your question, it is obvious. The way he holds himself, his stature, everything about him screams masculinity."
The redhead arched an eyebrow. "You are very observant."
Jaz stared him straight in the eye, and he stiffened at her resemblance to the Noah Clan. Her eyes were gold, and her ash-covered skin and hair were both a dark gray. "I know your companion's name, but not yours. Care to fill me in?" she asked, not failing to notice how rigid he had become. What was with these people, and why did they hate her eyes so much?
The man took a deep breath and plastered a smile on his face. to anyone else it would seem genuine, but Jaz instantly knew that it was false. "I'm Lavi Bookman." He held out his hand, and Jaz shook it.
She kept her face impassive as she mentally went over all the knowledge she had gained about the Bookmen from confidential government files. They were a top secret organization that went from place to place recording unbiased history. They were extremely smart and observant. "Well then, Bookman. Why don't you display a few of your skills and make an observation of me?"
Lavi's eyes narrowed. How did she know about the Bookmen? He would have to talk to her about that at a later time. For now, he just smirked. "You have obviously had a very hard life, with far more than your fair share of trials. You value your family and friends above all else, even risking your own life to keep them out of harm's way. You have a parasitic-type anti-Akuma weapon stored within your body, and-"
Jaz held up a hand, momentarily having forgotten that she and Lavi were not the only people who knew of this conversation. "Wait. What do you mean, parasitic-type anti-Akuma weapon? Is that was these are?" She held up her hand to display the claws and watched with shock as they shrank until there was nothing left of them except three little black marks on her skin where they had come out of her hands.
Lavi observed her expression. It didn't change at all as she cooly watched the claws disappear, but her eyes displayed shock that was gone so fast he wasn't entirely sure he hadn't imagined it. He was amazed at her control. She was almost as good as him, and he had years of training behind him. "Yes. You were born with innocence in your body, which manifested itself into claws when it sensed an Akuma was nearby."
"So that's what that was." Jaz murmured to herself.
The man known as Kanda cleared his throat. "Rabbit, Lenalee, we have to get back to the Order. Beansprout is probably wondering where we are, not to mention Komui."
Lenalee smiled. "Aww, Kanda, is that a heart I see in you?"
Kanda snapped his gaze away from Lenalee's. "Che."
Jaz eyed Kanda thoughtfully as his words sunk in. Hmm, the Order. she thought. Isn't that what he said? Could he have meant the Black Order? Yes, I knew I had seen that crest somewhere! So this is what Lenalee meant by "Exorcist". "You mean the Black Order?" she voiced aloud. Three heads snapped in her direction. Jaz almost laughed at their expressions. Kanda's had suspicion clearly written all over it, Lavi was surprised, and Lenalee was just flat-out shocked. "Yes, I know about most top secret organizations this world conceals. I love being informed."
Lenalee spoke, since the other two were clearly at a loss for words. "You're going to need to come with us, becuase you have an anti-Akuma weapon and we need all the Exorcists we can get. Besides, you are aware that the Order exists, and we need to find out how."
Jaz smirked. "That one's easy. I just hacked into confidential government files one day when I was bored."
L chose this moment to step in. "You did what?"
Jaz inspected her nails, bored. "Come on, L. It's not like you've never done it."
L grinned. "It's not that, I was just not expecting you to already have done it. When did you do it?"
Jaz looked up at him, grinning as well. "I was, what, twelve? Thirteen? I don't know, but it was before-" she stopped, suddenly remebering that there were strangers present. "Well, you know." L nodded, knowing that Jaz didn't want Lavi or Kanda to know about her experience with BB.
Lavi watched their exchange, immediately knowing that Jaz was hiding something. He was going to get it out of her one way or another. They all started walking, heading toward the Order. Everyone except Lavi, Lenalee, and Kanda all turned down one road way before they were supposed to. "Hey! Where are you going?" Lavi asked.
Jaz waved a hand dismissively. "Anyone who goes to the Order is going to stay there for an indefinite amount of time. I'm just going to get my things." With that, she turned her back on them and continued walking, leaving the others to catch up.
They reached Whammy's House in no time, and the Exorcists shifted uncomfortably when they realized that it was an orphanage. "The weather's too nice to go inside." Matt said. "How about you go inside, Jaz, and the rest of us'll wait out here."
Jaz just shrugged. "I also need to get something." L said. "I will go with you."
Jaz smiled. "Okay, you guys, no drama of any kind while I'm gone. I don't want to miss out on any more than I already have." She looked at Mello pointedly. "That means no fighting, kissing, or other things that should not be done in public. Understand?" Mello smirked and Matt blushed. Near and Road were talking, completely oblivious. The Exorcists just looked confused.
"Are you sure?" Mello drawled.
Jaz smirked. "Yeah, I am. You can deal with it for the time being, or I will beat some sense into you."
Mello laughed. "You can try."
Jaz and L left, laughing. "Where is everybody?" Jaz asked when they entered the dark, still mansion.
"Mr. Whammy took them on another field trip. He left us behind because we weren't going anywhere without you."
Jaz smiled, showing her true self now that no one other that L was around. "That's sweet, L. But don't tell me you've been moping in this house for three years." She pressed the up button on the elevator and looked at L as she waited for it to arrive.
L looked at her. "No, we weren't. We just didn't go on any field trips." The elevator arrived at that moment. "Let's go to my room first." L said, swiping his card. He left Jaz in the elevator and quickly grabbed his laptop, putting it in a black protective case with an ornate L on the front. Next, they went to Jaz's room. Jaz took in the familiar sight of her old room. It looked the exact same as she remembered it, except the bed looked rumpled and the desk chair was a lot lower than it usually was. L followed her gaze. "Near, Matt, Mello, and I stayed in your room every night. I used the chair, they used the bed."
Jaz hugged L, holding back tears. "Thank you." she whispered, the lump in her throat not allowing her to do much more than that. She drew back after a few moments of silence and looked up to find L crying. "I missed you so bad." Jaz said. "There was never a single moment when I didn't think of you." L just rubbed her back soothingly. "The only thing I was scared of was that I wouldn't ever be able to see you again. Nothing BB did hurt more than that thought." She hugged him for a few more moments before going over to her desk and grabbing her laptop, which was already in its case. She also filled a small backpack with an empty journal, a little flash drive with a black cat keychain attached to it, her toothbrush, deodorant, brush, razor, wallet, and her i-Pod. She slung it over her shoulders, figuring she could buy anything else she needed. Suddenly, her hands started to tingle. She wrapped her hand around L's wrist and pulled him behind her. "We need to get out of here right now!" she yelled. L slammed through the huge window, shattering the glass. Jaz followed him just as the whole mansion burst into flames. She curled around her laptop protectively as she neared the ground. This was too familiar. She flashed back to when she was eleven, soaring through empty air and away from a burning mansion. The past always repeats itself. Jaz thought grimly as she crashed into something solid. She opened her eyes to find Matt sprawled underneath her. She scrambled off him as he gasped for breath. "I'm so sorry!"
Matt grinned. "Hey, it could've been a whole lot worse. Are you okay?"
Jaz mentally checked her body, making sure that everything was in working order. "Yeah, this doesn't even hold a candle to some of the stuff BB did to me. Besides, you should be worrying about yourself. I'm not the one who was knocked to the ground by a flying person." Jaz looked around. "What about L? Is he okay?"
"Yes." Jaz turned to find L behind her. "I landed on the pool."
Jaz looked over at the pool and was very surprised to find that the clear plastic covering was still intact. "How is it not damaged?"
L snickered. "Mr. Whammy was a very paranoid man, and with good reason. He suspected that some of the children would try to commit suicide by jumping out of the windows, so he placed the pool right below them and made sure that the covering could withstand a gunshot. It sinks with you, so you are cushioned and you don't hit the water like a rock. It's very smart."
Jaz pursed her lips. "How come I landed on Matt instead of the pool?"
L laughed. "You had a running start that I did not have, and your progress wasn't blocked by glass. You literally launched yourself over the pool."
Jaz was about to reply, but an explosion stopped her. She turned to see Lenalee, whose boots were glowing green around the ankles. She had just destroyed an Akuma. A yell brought Jaz's attention to Lavi, who was bringing a hammer the size of a car down on the head of an Akuma. He looked like he was having fun. Jaz felt more tingling in her hands and turned, stopping dead at the sight she was met with. Kanda was sailing through the air, his glowing blue katana held aloft as he bore down on yet another Akuma. He sliced through it effortlessly, landing softly as the Akuma exploded behind him. He glared at all of them, his face tightening when his eyes landed on Jaz. He stalked up to her, grabbing both of her wrists and bringing her closer to him. "How did you know?" he growled. Jaz arched an eyebrow and met his death glare head on, not even fazed by his distasteful behavior. When she didn't answer, Kanda elaborated. "You knew they were there right before anything happened, getting out just in time. How?"
Jaz stared at him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Let me go." Kanda made no move to do so. "Let. Me. Go. Yuu." Shocked, Kanda dropped her hands. In response to his accusatory glance, Jaz decided to explain how she knew his first name. "The files I read on the Black order contained a list of all their active Exorcists. No pictures, just names. I have a photographic memory, so of course the instant Lenalee called you Kanda I remembered your name. Now, to answer your other question, which you so rudely asked, my hands tingle whenever an Akuma is around, like my claws are trying to get out. It's not terribly painful, but that might just be because I am used to worse." Lenalee flinched at that last sentence, remembering the condition Jaz had been in when she had found her. So much pain, so much suffering. It just wasn't fair. Lavi glanced at his friend, concerned. Jaz turned to the burning mansion, trying to quell the pain she felt at losing yet another home. "It's gone." she murmured. "Again... Why does this always happen?"
L hugged her. "It's okay, Jaz. You're my family, and I will never let you be homeless." Jaz whimpered so quietly that only L could hear it. "It's okay." he said again. "No one was hurt, so we are really very fortunate. Besides, you don't need a solid structure to have a home. I am your home. And Near, Mello, and Matt, too. We're all your family."
Jaz looked at him, and then at the Exorcists. "Maybe we could live at the Black Order until we can find another place to live. I heard that they have more than enough rooms. Over 3/4 of them are unused."
L nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, that could work. But, unfortunately, I will not be able to live there with you. There is a new case that I am working on, and it requires me to go to Japan."
Jaz nodded. "Okay, but at least take Karma with you. She's an invaluable asset." Confused, L just nodded, unwilling to do anything that might displease his sister even the slightest bit. Jaz went to talk to Karma, pulling her aside. When they were out of earshot of the group, Jaz explained the situation to the demon. "Karma," she said, pulling down the neck of her shirt to expose her contract symbol. "This is an order. Don't you dare let anything happen to L Lawliet that could kill him. If he dies, our contract is void."
Karma inclined her head. "Yes, milady."
They returned to the group. Karma and L got ready to leave, and Jaz hugged them both, saddened to be parting so soon. "Come back alive, understand? That's an order." Jaz didn't know who she was addressing: L or Karma.
"Of course, J." L said. "There is nothing in existence that could possibly take me away from my little sister. I will always return."
Jaz stared him down. "You better. If you don't, I will personally bring you back from wherever you are, whether it be life or death, and I will kill you. And then I will bring you back to life and never let you go."
L nodded solemnly. "I understand." Then they left.
Jaz's shoulders slumped the second her brother and demon sister were gone. Near hugged her. "He's not your only brother, you know."
Jaz smiled and hugged him back. "Yeah. Lenalee?" The Chinese girl looked at Jaz expectantly. "Lead the way."
Lenalee smiled, and they kept walking until they reached a dingy warehouse. Everyone was silent, but Road held Jaz's hand, both of them remembering the horrors of another warehouse exactly like this. Lenalee led them inside to an elevator, pressing the down button and swiping a card at the same time. The doors slid open silently, and closed when everyone was inside the spacious machine. Instead of going down, the elevator started going up. "Only members of the Black Order have the card. If anyone who doesn't have the card presses the button, the elevator will take them down to the bottom level of the warehouse, where another elevator is waiting to bring them back up. The second elevator is filled with a gas that slowly erases their memories of that whole day, so they forget they were even here. We can't have civilians just stumbling upon the Order by accident." Lenalee explained, seeing the confused expressions of Near, Matt, Mello, and Road.
Road tugged on Jaz's hand, silently asking her to bend down. Jaz comlied, and Road whispered in her ear. "The Exorcists knew me when I was a Noah, so they do not trust me. They don't know that the Noah inside me is no more. They just think that you stumbled across me and decided to take me in. You need to tell Lenalee the truth."
Jaz closed her eyes briefly, as though she was in pain. "But how do I explain the disappearance of the Noah? I hardly think that they will believe a demon took care of it." she whispered in Road's ear.
Road pursed her lips for a moment, deep in thought. "Tell her that one of the cult's experiments rebelled and attacked me, and it did something to the Noah inside me, killing it. It is not a lie, nor is it the entire truth. Win-win."
Jaz nodded and straightened, then motioned for Lenalee to come over. She told Lenalee, who looked at Road for a long time before finally nodding. Lenalee, making sure that she was in plain view of Kanda and Lavi, knelt down by road and hugged her. Road immediately hugged back. "I trust you, Road Camelot." Lenalee whispered. "Don't make me regret it." Road hugged Lenalee tighter in reply. Lavi trusted Lenalee's decision, so he smiled at Road, and Kanda, being his usual anti-social self, only reacted by no longer looking at Road with the intent to murder her.
The elevator dinged, putting a stop to the quiet display. Lavi's eye brightened, and he grabbed Jaz's hand, tugging her out into a stone corridor. "Welcome to the Black Order!" he declared cheerfully.
"LENALEE!" someone yelled. Thudding footsteps resounded across the corridor, seeming to come from everywhere at once.
My family! Jaz thought, panicked. Suddenly, her claws unsheathed themselves, glittering darkly. She whirled, standing in front of Matt, Mello, Near, and Road in a defensive position. She pointed her claws at the oncoming threat, who stopped dead in his tracks. It was a Chinese man in a white suit. He looked terrified. Jaz slightly relaxed, bringing her claws back to bar his path to the ones she was protecting.
"It's okay, Jaz." Lenalee said, coming to stand by the man. "This is my brother, Komui Lee. He was just excited to see me, that's all. There's no threat you need to protect them from."
Komui eyed Jaz's claws with interest. "Is that Innocence?" he asked. Jaz nodded warily. "Excellent!" He clapped his hands like a child. "We must perform tests! Come on, come on!"
Matt laughed and shoved her forward before returning to Mello's embrace, blushing slightly at the contact. "It's okay, J. Mells will protect us if anything happens." Jaz looked at the Exorcists, as if daring them to make fun of her friends for being gay.
"Ooh, are you two a couple?" Lenalee asked, looking delighted. Mello smirked and held Matt tighter while Matt just nodded. Lavi was... blushing? Okay, weird. Kanda looked no different than he usually did: disgusted, arrogant, contemptuous, and otherwise superior.
Jaz finally felt comfortable enought to relax. It's okay, they're okay. Surprisingly enough, her claws sheathed at that thought. "Let's go, Komui." Jaz said.
Komui clapped his hands once again and turned on his heel, obviously expecting Jaz to follow, which she did. "This is wonderful. We are terribly outnumbered against the Earl."
Jaz looked at him inquiringly as the stepped into a very messy office. Papers and books covered every available surface except the desk. "Which Earl are you referring to?"
"Hmm?" Komui asked, peering at her over his glasses.
Jaz groaned internally. "There are many Earls, at least three in London alone. Ciel Phantomhive, Alois Trancy, and Lord Millenium. Which of them are you speaking of?"
Komui arched an eyebrow. "The Millenium Earl is the one who creates Akuma. I do not know if Earl Phantomhive or Earl Trancy are in league with him."
Jaz bristled. "So he is the reason my second childhood home went down in flames. Speaking of which, I have a favor to ask." Komui motioned for her to continue. "I would appreciate it if you would allow Matt, Mello, Near, and Road to reside here until further notice."
"Now why would I do that?" Komui asked. He didn't think it was a good idea, not a good idea at all.
Jaz narrowed her eyes at him, putting him through multiple painful procedures in her mind. "Because it will benefit you. Road used to be a Noah, so she could give us information about the Noah Clan. Matt is a genius who specializes in technology of any sort. Near is also a genius, and he is at the same level as L, the greatest detective in the world. And Mello was raised by a member of the Mafia. He could teach the Finders and inexperienced Exorcists martial arts, not to mention he would make a fabulous bodyguard."
Komui stared at her, and she stared right back, unblinking. He was the first to give in, losing the battle. "Why would anyone need a bodyguard trained in the Mafia? He isn't an Exorcist, so there is no way he would be able to fight Akuma."
Jaz looked at him, flooded with painful memories. "Akuma are not the only things that people need to be protected from." she told Komui. He looked at her, and she let him see the pain in her eyes for a few moments before replacing the wall.
Staggered at the immense suffering Jaz had obviously gone through, Komui conceded. "Alright, but they cannot stay here forever. We will eventually need to find them a home. Now, let's perform those tests." He led her to a medical room not unlike the one she had woken up in just that morning. A lot had happened since then. She heard Lavi's footsteps, along with those of another man, very old from the sound of it, following them. She chose to keep this information to herself for the time being.
Komui revealed many large drills, and Jaz didn't even bat an eyelash. She had known that there couldn't be anything good in store for her when Komi had said the word "tests". Lavi and his companion, who happened to be Bookman himself, listened outside the door as the sounds of drilling could be heard. Surprisingly, no screams accompanied them. Almost everyone screamed terribly when Komui conducted the tests. Sometimes Lavi wondered what asylum Lenalee's big brother had escaped from. When the drilling stopped, Jaz spoke up. "Komui, I don't know if you are aware of this, but Lavi Bookman and an older man followed us from your office. They are listening outside the door right now if you wish to confirm this information." She flung the door open, and Lavi could only blink in shock at the girl's skills. She hadn't even seen them!
"Hi." Lavi said, regaining his composure. "Jaz, this is Bookman. Bookman, this is Jaz."
The two shook hands, and Jaz's eyes were sparkling with interest. "So, you are Bookman?" The old panda nodded the affirmative. "I've been dying to meet you. Apparently, your skills are unmatched. I would like to test that theory at a later date."
Bookman smiled creepily. "Of course, Jaz."
Jaz smirked, and then Komui grabbed her by the elbow, literally dragging her out of the room. "Lavi, Booman," Komui warned. "No more eavesdropping." While they walked, Komui turned to Jaz. "You seemed unaffected by the tests. May I ask why? Most others at least cry."
Jaz smiled thinly. "I will disclose that information at a later date. Tell me, did Kanda cry?" Komui nodded, surprised at this question. "Ah, so he isn't an antisocial robot, as I previously assumed." She could hear Lavi roaring with laughter from the room they had just left.
Komui chuckled. "Yes, he is quite human."
Jaz smiled, and they walked in silence. "Jaz!" she heard someone call. She turned to find Road running to catch up.
"Hey, Road." Jaz's stiff, formal demeanor was gone, and in its place was a smiling teenage girl. "What's going on?"
"Oh, nothing." Road said brightly, rocking back on her heels. "I just saw you walking and figured I would walk with you, since this guy doesn't seem to be entertaining you."
Jaz laughed. "Be nice, Road." She held out her hand, and Road grabbed it, smiling happily. as they walked, the two girls talked about lots of things. Komui listened with interest. They were almost as close as sisters. "So, Road," Jaz said, smiling evilly. "Do you have a thing for my little brother?"
Road blushed bright pink. "D-Do you m-mean N-N-Near?" she stuttered. Jaz nodded, still grinning that wicked grin of hers. "N-No! Of c-course n-not!"
Jaz grinned wider. "You totally do." Road hung her head in defeat, finally admitting it. "I knew it." Jaz said triumphantly. "I am so good at this kind of thing. I'll tell you what. Because I am such an awesome matchmaker, I will see what I can do about setting you up with Near."
Road's eyes widened. "Really? Are you serious?"
Jaz struck a pose, flinging her still-ashen hair over her shoulder. "Of course I am. I am awesome." Komui laughed, noticing that she reminded him of someone. Oh well. He would remember who it was sooner or later.
"Ugh." A new voice said disdainfully. "Get out of my way."
Jaz whirled angrily to find a man in a black and gold jacket towering over Road. He had long, red hair, a little darker than Lavi's, and one of his eyes was covered in a huge white eyepatch. "Who are you to give us orders?" she growled, her claws sliding out defensively. She kept them at her sides, knowing that the jacket could only mean one thing. This man was a General. She had to tread carefully.
The General scoffed, eyeing her claws. "Are you going to attack me?"
"Answer the question, then we'll see, General." Jaz sneered, her lip curling.
The General's eye widened. She knew what power he held, and yet she insisted on being insolent? Well, he would have to put her in her place. "I am Cross Marian. And you are in my way."
Jaz grabbed Cross by the lapels of his jacket and pulled him down so that they were eye-to-eye. "I don't care who you are, you will not speak to me like that."
Jaz released him. "I apologize." he spat.
Jaz waved a hand dismissively. "I don't care whether you are sorry or not. Although, I do wonder why you are glowing."
Cross looked down at where Jaz's finger was pointing and was beyond surprised to find a faint green light emanating from the breast pocket of his jacket. He reached into it and brought out a piece of innocence. It looked like a few gears and was glowing a calm green color. He held it out to Jaz, and she just stared at it in confusion. Nothing was happening. He held it out to Road, and it glowed brighter. Surprised, Road reached out and touched it. Everything exploded into white light. Road yelled in surprise, and the light disappeared as soon as it had come. "What..." Road asked, noticing that the innocence had vanished. She looked around, but it was nowhere to be found. Then she noticed a silver bracelet encircling her wrist that hadn't been there before. It had many charms, and it jingled when she shook her hand. "Jaz?" Road asked.
Jaz looked at Cross questioningly. "That was innocence." he said gruffly. "It chose the girl to be its new Accomodator. She is now an Exorcist."
Jaz smiled. "Once a Noah, now an Exorcist. See, Road? Things do get better. This is just Fate's way of giving you a way to atone for the crimes you commited as a Noah."
Cross huffed and stalked off, and Komui and the girls proceeded to go even further into the depths of the Black Order. "And here we are!" Komui declared a few minutes later. They were standing on an upside down pyramid of sorts. Suddenly, it started moving just like an elevator.
It took them deep into a cavern, where a glowing silver mass awaited them. "Welcome, Jaz, Road." The echoing female voice seemed to come from everywhere. Jaz looked closely and was surprised to find that the silver mass was actually a very large person. A tentacle reached out, wrapping itself around Jaz, who instantly went limp. Whatever was going on, she trusted Road to protect her if things got bad and she couldn't use her claws. "Syncing... 30%... 53%... 70%... 95%... 100%." Gasps sounded around the room as the silver woman set Jaz back down and picked up Road. "Syncing... 12%... 18%... 32%... 46%... 50%... 63%."
Komui smiled. "Let's get you some uniforms."