Chapter Four
Alea iacta est
"The die has been cast"
-
Darien darted up and desperately tried to synchronize erratic breaths with his thundering heart.
His eyes snapped open to the blinding sunlight which provided visual aid to a foreign location. Darien was covered in a cold sweat and as he unconsciously shivered, the realist rested his moist forehead against the palm of his hand. Compared to the hot perspiration trailing along the smooth tan skin of his face; his hand felt as though it possessed within it the relieving sensation of a cold winter morning. The matted strands of Darien's disheveled hair stuck to the back of his neck while two lonely beads of sweat slid down his taut back. Even with the appearance of an overheated physique, he still trembled from the inside out.
"I never took you for the tattooed type."
Darien's heart jumped up into his throat as the thin hairs on his arms stood erect at the sound of an unpleasantly familiar source. Menacing eyes shifted slowly to the side and took in the vision of Irene Chiba, his very own personal goddess of destruction. He couldn't speak but the overwhelming rage within screamed volumes. Subconsciously, Darien envisioned himself reaching out and choking his aunt until she was pale and stiff. Such a euphoric fantasy did nothing to inspire reality; he merely sat and stared.
She smiled and declared, "When you were a baby, I couldn't even leave your side at the doctor's office or you would throw a fit. Oh, and if a shot was even mentioned, forget it, you would try and high tail it out of there which is exactly why the tattoo surprised me."
The sound of his laughter caused his eye to twitch in irritation as his teeth ground together. Shoving the blankets forcefully to the floor, Darien practically catapulted out of bed. Unlike a normal person, he didn't even want to know how he had gotten to this room or why he was in the presence of something unholy. But then again, Darien had begun to accept that he was far from normal. He was an animal; an animal who wanted to flee the location which housed and encouraged such a heinous laugh.
"Darien, wait," Irene exclaimed before reaching out and gently laying her hand on her nephew's bare back. Her heart was crushed when he recoiled from a touch which only meant to promise comfort and support. She had almost forgotten that every touch to him had the same nasty intention. There was no love, only domination.
"Don't touch me," Darien barked with fire in his eyes, "Don't ever put your hands on me again or I'll cripple you."
The sneer on his face and violent remark caused Irene to cradle her hand close to her chest in a gesture which suggested it had been badly burned. Tears welled up in her eyes after comparing the boy she had once held in her arms to the man before her. It was as if this stranger had swallowed and devoured her nephew taking only physical traits to fool the world into thinking he was truly Darien Chiba. Irene wanted to tear apart this intruder and liberate the real Darien; the one who had never tarnished or mutated into a vessel which lacked humanity.
"And to answer your question," Darien mumbled, his back still facing his aunt before casting a side glance at the intricate tattoo which covered a large portion of the middle of his upper back while trailing into his right shoulder blade, "I'm not sporting this as a fashion statement. Because you couldn't keep your mouth shut and told my father the truth everything downward spiraled. Your sister went nuts and I eventually ended up somewhere far worse than the hell I was spawned into. Thanks for that by the way."
"You know, I think about that constantly. I wonder what would have happened if I never told your father," Irene whispered as she banished the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, "I wonder if things would have been a little better. At least you would have had your father."
Darien slipped his shirt on over his head and closed his eyes. For the longest time, he had wanted to hate his father for abandoning him when he needed him most. But the second those feelings surfaced, the moment resent seeped through his pores and into his system, he began to feel guilty and eventually that guilt had manifested into blame. Deep inside, Darien had convinced himself that he had truly betrayed his father just as he had said and that had been reason he left. He would carry that to his grave; one of the many grievances he was obligated to bear.
"I don't want to talk about him."
"I know you must hate your father but I think you should…"
"I don't hate him! Just drop it! I don't want to talk about him."
Irene stepped forward and reached out but realization dawned on her effort with a dark ominous cloud ruining hopes of reconciliation. She instinctively pulled her hand back while standing in complete silence. After all this time, after spending countless nights wide awake and wondering where and how he was, she didn't have a single thing to say to him. She wanted to scream.
"I'm leaving," Darien declared. He began to walk past the completive woman but was taken aback by the brash action of her throwing herself in front of his path. Quirking an eyebrow up inquisitively, he tried to side step her only to have Irene mimic his movements. The curiosity turned into full blown animosity.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm not letting you go," she cried with arms in outstretched, barricade position, "We have to talk and we have to talk now."
Indifferently, the younger yet much taller individual stated, "We've got nothing to talk about."
"Yes we do! We have a lot to discuss and I have so much to tell you. I'm not moving until we have this conversation. I don't care what you do to me but I will not let you leave!"
"What? You only have this much passion and character when you want to be a nuisance."
"I changed a lot since you were a child…"
"No matter how many times a zebra tries to convince itself it's a lion; it's still a zebra. Their stripes won't go away just because they will it so."
"…I had a lot of time to think and I know I was wrong…"
Darien chuckled and clapped his hands before leering sardonically at his rambling aunt, "I don't care. It's too late and you're barking up the wrong tree."
"It isn't too late. It's never too late to make amends. There was a time when I thought there wasn't anything I could do for you."
"And you were right."
"No, I was wrong and so are you for agreeing," Irene shouted with a new resolve that astounded Darien into silent observation, "I want to change so much but I realize that I can't change the past, only salvage the future."
The jaded man stepped forward and glared down at the orator with mocking eyes. Clicking his tongue, he retorted in a calm and even tone, "You had a chance to salvage the future by keeping Seiya in your care. That was your chance and you failed."
"No, I didn't! Serena's best friend is Mina James, the actress."
"So?"
She rolled her eyes and proclaimed, "Have you been living in a hole all these years? Mina James is Seiya's girlfriend. We can get Seiya through Mina. There's still a chance. I've been thinking about it since I found out but every time I was tempted to step up and do something, I kept thinking about Serena and the fact that I would have to tell her about my past. I was ashamed and when she got pregnant, I abandoned my plan all together."
Darien chortled and crossed his arms, "Good old dependable Aunt Irene, always thinking about the well being of others over her own selfish desires."
"I can give you his whereabouts. Ever since that night, I've been thinking of what I can do to make up for past mistakes. This is what I wanted to tell you. You can finally see your brother again."
He inhaled sharply. He had believed it was over, that there was no way to salvage Seiya's life. When it came to a battle of the wits and brawn, the brutal Darien Chiba would reign victorious. But this was a game of hide and seek and Darien was going up against the king of seek. With all of Jadeite's contacts, he wouldn't even have an opportunity to get a clue before the Frenchman found and skewered his brother.
"Where can I find him?"
Irene nodded and lowered her arms, "I would have to talk to Serena first to see if she can reach Mina."
Darien wondered how Serena would react if she found out the truth. Would she be disgusted? Sympathetic? Maybe even indifferent to the whole situation. It didn't matter much; his contract was almost finished and he wouldn't need her anymore. She had served her purposed and when he received the necessary information on Seiya, it would be sayonara for good. It was fun while it lasted.
"I need it as soon as possible. I can't be waiting around while you take your sweet time getting it," he spat out venomously. It sounded much more frigid than he originally intended but Darien was sure it only insured the point to be driven home. Right now, he couldn't concern himself with hurt feelings.
Irene nodded and remained painfully still for a moment. Her eyes were glued to the floor as if she was thinking long and hard about something. Whether or not the thought was important was beyond Darien but he understood it was necessary to get out in the open nonetheless.
"What?"
Large blue eyes which matched her guest's identically stared up at the calm and collected face of her nephew. Sighing, she raked a hand through her long dark mane nervously and stated, "If I get you Seiya's information, I don't want Serena involved. She's leaving for Julliard soon and she gets too emotionally attached to people, I just don't want…"
"Relax," Darien interrupted, rather annoyed at the unwelcomed intrusion, "When your pride and joy goes off to Julliard, I promise you she'll still be wet behind the ears. The faster you get me Seiya's information, the more distant of a memory I'll be."
"I didn't mean it like that…"
"It doesn't matter how you meant it. What I say still goes so get me my brother's location and you won't have to worry about me corrupting your daughter," he forwardly explained. With a cunning smirk, the devious wolf leaned back against the closest wall and crossed his arms, "Or maybe it would be better for me to show Serena the ropes. New York's a fast city so if I teach her a thing or two, I might be doing her more of a favor than staying away."
The protective mother's eyes widened in shock at her blood's lewd comment and almost boiled over. Stepping forward threateningly, Irene proclaimed, "You wouldn't dare…"
Darien rolled his eyes, "Of course I would. But I'll play by the rules as long as you stick to getting me what I want."
Irene smirked and almost instantaneously, the twenty-five year old man before her transformed into the fresh mouthed little seven year old she was accustomed to. He wasn't a total shell of his former self, there were still some traits which distinguished the dark hair, light eyed boy the 'alien' she had deemed at birth. There was still a glimmer of hope at salvaging their damaged relationship.
"I'll drop by again in a couple of days," the Kagen employee curtly replied before proceeding to make his way out of the bedroom.
"Why don't you stay here and sleep? Earlier, you were tossing and turning a lot plus you don't look too good, like you haven't slept in days. Just rest here and when you wake up, you'll be a free man. No one will bother you."
Darien stared at Irene before shrugging his shoulders, trudging over to the bed, and collapsing down on the soft mattress. He was too tired to argue and his head was splitting to the point of severance. The side of his face sunk into the thick pillow as long, dark eyelashes fluttered shut. Usually he would ignore these types of requests, considering them unnecessary options, but for today Darien wanted to sleep with both eyes closed.
"If you're hungry, the fridge is stocked so help yourself."
Irene took one more look at her partially conscious family member and smiled to herself. They weren't remotely close to reaching any kind of reconciliation or even negotiating a potential reconciliation, but this for now was a very good start.
-
Emerald DelGrassi stared at the door separating her from her brother-in-law; her edgy yet ruggedly handsome brother-in-law. She refused to admit it aloud, especially in the lounge where his name frequently came up among the female subordinates, but she constantly caught herself thinking of him. The unfaithful vixen also wondered about all the contours and dips responsible for the structure of his body. Emerald was tempted to rip off his Armani suit and experience this very desolate yet exciting road for herself.
Smirking, she fixed a perfectly waved coif and straightened her own name brand suit before knocking on the door in a manner which she made sure sounded urgent enough to peak the interest of Kagen's second-in-command.
"What is it?" a deep voice called from the office in a tone which implied he was being disturbed.
Jackpot. Emerald tucked a stray strand of wheat behind her tiny ear and replied, "I'm very sorry to disturb you, Diamond, but I was hoping I could have a quick word with you."
There was a pause and during that moment of extended silence, Emerald made sure to banish all thoughts of relative desire and focus on her initial priority. She was here on a mission.
"Fine, enter."
With her hand already previously placed on the doorknob, she twisted the blindingly shiny piece of metal and opened the barrier. Diamond was a little less obsessive compulsive about organization than her husband was, but he was still anally tidy. Everything from nic nacs on his desk to several plants lined up in his office were neatly arranged in pleasing angles. She wondered how furious he was be if she 'accidentally' bumped into a plant and threw it out of position. A mental image of Diamond DelGrassi in full military uniform 'punishing her' teased Emerald's imagination to the point of a cracked smirk.
"What do you want, Emerald? I'm very busy," Diamond sighed behind his desk while folding his hands and leaning forward.
"Well, I wanted to discuss something about Rubeus. I mean, I don't even know if you know about what I want to tell you but you're the only one I can turn to. I feel like you're the only one who can help me."
He was taken aback for a moment but then grinned knowingly at the succubus before him. Shaking his head, Diamond explained, "Emerald, who you choose to spread for behind Rubeus' back is none of my business."
A crimson blush spread across the smooth, pale flesh of the adulteress' face. She opened her dainty mouth, closed it, and repeated the process about three times over before she regained her composure and fired back, "I don't know what you're talking about, Diamond, but that is way out of line! You may rank higher than I do in this company but I am still your sister-in-law and you will treat me with respect."
"You are my brother's wife. That is all you are to me."
Emerald chuckled and crossed her arms over her well endowed chest, "Still the cold hearted bastard I've known since the moment I met Rubeus. Acting in such a manner will get you nowhere."
"What is it that you wanted, Emerald?" Diamond proclaimed with an icy tone to his voice and an impatient roll of his eyes. He hated this woman more than he could even imagine possible. From her boisterous laugh to the way her ass would suggestively squeeze up against the thick material of her Prada skirts; he wished Rubeus would wise up and divorce this barracuda. Emerald did nothing more than suck the life out of any unsuspecting candidate she could dig her claws into.
"How much do you know about the files Rubeus keeps locked up in his desk drawers?" Emerald asked in refusal to beat around the bush any longer. Diamond's expression and cold words were beginning to make her feel uncomfortable so she had to get right to the point before temptation to retreat became too overwhelming to ignore.
"What do you mean the files locked up in Rubeus' desk drawers?" he inquisitively retorted. The DelGrassi brother knew exactly what she meant and more but he wanted to hear for himself whether she had discovered the grand prize of information or just a measly runner up. What she answered could change everything in this company.
She remained silent. A part of her refused to continue and that part rejected the brain's signal responsible for opening her mouth. There was something about Diamond, something devious and slightly masochistic. Sure, she pictured him in all his glory occasionally but it was solely based on lust – no trust was necessary to create an image. So she continued to stand there as her brain finally ceased its constant attempt to initiate conversation.
"Emerald, it's OK, you can tell me," Diamond reassured after standing from his chair and beginning to approach his apprehensive sister-in-law, "I know you have your restrictions but if this has something to do with my brother and this company than I have every right to know. We can deal with this together."
Emerald sighed as Diamond's hand rested lightly on her shoulder. The touch was enough to send her system into overload and if she hadn't wisely chosen to avoid eye contact, it probably would have. Breathing in and taking along with the oxygen his scent, Emerald answered, "The file on the Adam and Eve project. I saw Darien Chiba's name on it along with all these other people; people who Darien was contracted to kill. Do you know anything about this?"
A flash of registration passed through Diamond's sky blue eyes but it was so quick Emerald had missed its significance. Removing his hand from her shoulder and moving back to his desk, he simply explained, "Kagen had supported the Adam and Eve project for quite some time during its operation but when we pulled out, it lost its funding and eventually closed. We were given their case files as a result. That's what you saw in Rubeus' desk."
"What is this organization? What does it specialize in?"
"That I don't know," he lied while pouring himself a glass of Brandy and taking a quick sip of its comforting substance, "But nonetheless, we should keep our noses out of it. Rubeus knows what he's doing and if he put a hit out on these people, there's a good reason for it."
She seemed a bit disheartened by such a matter-of-fact reply but her mind immediately rebounded to its original purpose. Clearing her throat and staring at Diamond's back fearlessly, Emerald declared, "What about Darien?"
The youngest DelGrassi sibling finished off his drink, put the signature crystal glass back on his desk, and turned unwavering attention back on his company with an expression so serious it rivaled one belonging to a citizen of a totalitarian government, "Darien Chiba is an animal; he is brutal, sociopathic, and dangerous. We don't need someone of that caliber in our company. It was only a matter of time before Rubeus axed him."
Diamond's lack of compassion was infamous through these hallowed halls but Emerald had never realized one man was capable of being so ruthless. Maybe his inhumanity was the qualification necessary to put him closer to that great gig in the sky; a term Kagen employees at the bottom of the chain used to describe a place where nine figure incomes were standard starting salaries. She could understand her husband's standards. After all, a corporation wasn't built on a foundation of sympathy and good deeds.
"You look surprised. Does my honesty startle you?"
"Not at all, I was just under the impression that you would try and defend one of your own. You may think these things about him but Darien is still a member of this company. How is that setting an example that we won't tolerate treason?"
Diamond chuckled at her naivety. Sitting back on the edge of his desk, he coolly retorted, "When you're dealing with a traitor accordingly I wouldn't exactly call his removal treason. It's only a matter of time before he turns on us. That is his nature whether you believe it or not."
"I don't believe it but I won't stop you from doing your job. You and Rubeus are making a mistake taking out one of your own. Forget I even came here; it was obviously an error in judgment," Emerald spat disgusted with the unexpected outcome of this meeting. Making her way towards the door, the deep, threatening voice of her brother-in-law called out from behind her.
"Don't make the foolish decision to get involved, Emerald, or we may just have to deem you a traitor along with your liaison."
Angry and slightly alarmed by the accusation laced within a potent warning, the untrained detective turned around with wide eyes and exclaimed, "What the hell did you just say to me?"
"Don't get involved," he repeated with a smirk of victory.
In an uncharacteristic tantrum, Emerald swung the door open and slammed it shut as hard as she could in an attempt to get in the last word without the hassle of actually opening her mouth.
Waiting until the sound of stomping high heeled footsteps disappeared, Diamond allowed the cocky grin to wither away into a sneer. He reached back, swiped the phone off its hook, and dialed a familiar number. With a dark requiem for his intolerable sister resonating in his heart, he smiled knowingly at the breathless and annoyed tone snapping on the other end of the phone.
"Sorry to bother you in the middle of your calisthenics, brother, but it looks like we have quite the situation on our hands."
-
Meanwhile, Emerald placed her back firmly against the wall, dangling an expensive pair of pumps on her index finger, and listened in on Diamond's phone call. She smirked knowingly and proceeded to creep down the hall. He had eaten right out of the palm of her hand just as she expected and with Rubeus distracted that file was as good as hers.
-
"It's officer Toshi Nagawara. He was an entrance exam away from making detective."
Michiru looked away from the corpse on the ground to focus on her partner. Large aqua eyes surveyed Hakura's expression and asked, "Do you think it was him?"
The tall androgynous blonde said nothing but instead continued to stare at the body of her fellow officer. It would be a little too hasty to point the finger at their fugitive for Nagawara's death but one thing was for certain; the perp would have to either be out of his mind or on the run to kill a cop. There was no solid evidence proving Seiya Kou was the culprit but she could no longer risk any more casualties. Sighing, Hakura raked a slender hand through her hair and glanced back at the fair skinned coroner.
"We may have to inform the media. The eyes of a country are a whole lot more effective than just those of a precinct."
"We might cause unrest by doing so. Shouldn't we continue with the investigation at least until we find sufficient amount of evidence to link officer Nagawara's death to the perp."
Hakura immediately shook her head and crossed her arms, "For all we know Kou could have already fled the city. That may have been easy enough for him to accomplish but I want to make leaving the country a task only divine manifestation could accomplish. We need every Japanese man, woman, and even child alert and ready to assist capture. I want this nipped in the bud before any more blood is shed."
Michiru didn't say anything but Hakura knew she was internally protesting public coverage without any legitimate leads. In a way, she wasn't wrong considering the pandemonium it would cause when people discovered a murderer in their midst. In the end, it might result in a devastating climax but that was a risk she would have to take.
"Trust me on this one, Michiru."
She merely smiled, "You're saying that as if I had a choice."
The detective grinned before turning her attention towards an approaching investigator. Narrowing icy blue eyes on the bag in his hand, she told Michiru to leave the report of any new discoveries on her desk before meeting the informant halfway. Flicking a strand of gold to the side, Hakura asked, "What do you have for me, Tanaka?"
"Just your golden ticket to cracking this whole investigation," Tanaka declared while passing the evidence into the awaiting hands of his superior, "This was Nagawara's weapon; the weapon the suspect used. If you run a scan, I'm more than positive you'll find your man's prints all over it."
She observed the revolver from within the contents of its standard zip lock packaging. If Tanaka was correct than this could prove to be a huge break in an otherwise frigid trail. With hard, proven facts, Seiya Kou would be a sitting duck amongst the millions of downcast eyes following closely over his shoulder. With the weight of a nation on his back, it was possible a pursuit was unnecessary. If Seiya's conscience didn't propel a confession, the incessant scrutiny certainly would.
"Thanks, Tanaka. If you find anything else give me a call. I'm going to head back to the lab and get this bad boy to sing for me."
Tanaka nodded with a grin, "And what a song it'll sing."
"Remember what I said. Keep in touch," Hakura called as she began hiking through the crowds of uniforms and back to her car. Unlocking the door, she plopped down in the leather seat of her coupe and glared down at the murder weapon.
There was no way this type of lead would fall willingly into her hands without the sweat and blood to sign for. How oblivious would a suspect have to be to leave the murder weapon behind? Then again, people do unbelievably stupid things under pressure. He was already in trouble with the law and now he was facing charges of killing a cop. Seiya Kou was a kid riding a multi-million dollar contract of fame and invincibility. What teenager with that kind of privilege wanted to spend the rest of his life withering away in prison?
Sighing, she placed the gun down on the passenger side seat, slipped the key into the ignition, and resurrected her pride and joy's engine from its temporary slumber. There was definitely a catch she couldn't help but remind herself. Now she just had to wait it out and see how big of a gamble fate had made on her expense.
-
Darien awoke to the blinding light of the afternoon sun as his eyes adjusted to the surroundings. Sitting up, he stretched cramped limbs from their momentary entropy and let out an uninhibited yawn. It was strange waking up in a bed which wasn't his. Even as a child, he never slept anywhere further than his own backyard. Sexual conquests were no different. They may have occurred in another woman's bed but he sure as hell never stayed the night.
Throwing his feet over the side and onto the floor, Darien smelled a scent so unfamiliar he quit his simple observation and offered a few courtesy sniffs before evaluating the content.
Okonomiyaki…Nikuman…Miso Soup
A small grumble erupted from his stomach while salivation overwhelmed his taste buds. Darien barely got excited to the point of excess saliva but the thought of a hot, home cooked meal waiting from him downstairs made him as close to giddy as he could get. With a sly grin on his face, the killer practically rushed out of the bedroom and started wondering if his pockets were capable of fitting some buns in without being too conspicuous.
The hall he ventured through was narrow but unnaturally neat with pictures adorning the walls like a family album. Stopping momentarily, he gazed at a photograph of the Tsukino family. They looked like the typical shiny happy people you would see on some wholesome sitcom. The kind you had to second glance just to validate that their existence had substance.
"Aunt Irene, you sure have it made and all you had to do was sell out your nephews for it."
Darien moved on. It wasn't worth paying much mind to. The Tsukinos flashing their deliriously happy home life was as unnatural and annoying as a winter tan. These facets were better left unquestioned.
Approaching the stairs, the smell of his unprocessed meal attacked his senses even more enticingly. Animosity dispelled as this lunch encouraged aimless feet to increase its pace. Darien's mouth continued to water for the delicacy but his movements suddenly stopped as the soft sound of a piano seduced his ears and overpowered his sense of smell. It was so powerful that it completely dominated anything else his other senses could appreciate.
The piece was familiar. He knew he had heard it before but he couldn't remember where.
You remember. He played it for HER.
Scowling, the memory of this particular sound came rushing back to him. It was Bach. Bach was always a prevalent composer in his home whether it was blaring out through the speakers of the Chiba family's home entertainment center or the f-holes of his father's violin. It was beautiful but only in a tragic sense.
Gravitating towards the source, Darien wandered through the den and into the kitchen. His desired three course meal was sitting right on the table begging to be devoured but instead he walked right past the temptation and towards a door leading into what looked like the cellar. The music got louder which caused his mind to wander further away along with any hesitations preventing him from entering unfamiliar territory.
Darien quietly crept down the steps like the skilled commando that he was trained to be and sat watching the young girl play her piano. The way it appeared, he didn't even have to be subtle. He could have gone pounding down the steps and she would probably still be tapping away on her instrument. The way she remained so focused at this very moment was far cry from the loud mouthed, immature girl he first ran into two nights ago.
Placing a hand under his chin, he noticed how adult she looked. Long, soft strands of silvery blonde hair were pinned up into a messy bun worthy of belonging on the head of a musician as thin rimmed glasses were sliding slowly down the bridge of her nose where they rested at the small slightly upturned tip. Her clothes were baggy and practically screamed oppressed college student as her lips were tinted an attractive rose color. With the only sustainable image of the pianist being in her school uniform, Darien thought it was impossible for this girl to look anything more than a scrawny little rugrat.
As he noticed her elegantly lift her hands from the keyboard, grab a pencil, and scribble small notes on the sheet music, Darien began clapping his hands. He grinned at the tiny tremble of her back and slight slip of her pencil.
Spinning around, Serena glared at her intruder and proclaimed, "You ever hear of knocking?"
"Why knock when the door was wide open?" Darien countered before standing up and moving to the disheveled couch sitting perpendicular to the piano.
"For a little thing called I like to call common courtesy. You know, having the courtesy to knock and let yourself be known so you don't scare the hell out of an unsuspecting person."
"Well, take this as a lesson learned. You can never be too comfortable."
The musician scowled bitterly at the smug retort of her guest while thinking sardonically, "He doesn't even say thank you for hauling his ass for miles back to my house. He better have short time memory loss or I'm going to beat some gratitude into him."
"How long have you been playing for?" Darien asked while brushing off an otherwise discomforting glare. He was used to these types of expressions from women and figured the best way to deal with it was to be as nonchalant as possible. This was especially efficient when he never expected to see them again.
"Probably about as long as it would take you to learn some manners, jackass," she muttered in a tone of disdain.
"What?"
"I said probably about thirteen years now."
"Thirteen years," Darien breathed, aware of the smart aleck response she had originally given but choosing to ignore it, as he leaned his head back on the cushion, "that's a long time to be dedicated to something."
Serena sighed and removed her glasses, "Thirteen years is nothing if you're truly passionate about something."
"How can you base more than half of your life on something hormonal?"
"Passion isn't just hormonal," she explained in slight irritation that her goals were being questioned by a grown man who lacked the comprehension of a simple thank you, "it's drive. It's something that leaves you craving more and ultimately it's something that will get you where you want to go."
Darien scoffed. His expression hardened considerably as he narrowed his eyes on the optimist and declared, "That's a naïve theory."
Serena's temper began to slowly ascend as she balled up her fists and released, repeating the process until she was sure her voice would not betray her and ultimately give him the upper hand, "It's not naïve, it's what keeps a lot of people going. Without passion, goals, or drive a person's existence would be cold and meaningless. If you're still this young and have such a pessimistic and jaded outlook on life, I feel really sorry for you."
He continued to stare her down in manner which summoned far more aggression than necessary. Thoughts which seemed almost vague and dream inspired corrupted his head. It wasn't until Darien resurrected the photograph of her family which hung upstairs that he began to feel himself dissolve into a darker place. Leaning forward with a glint in stormy blue orbs, he exclaimed, "I don't expect someone who lived as cushy a life as you to understand what life really is. The moment you hit a critical point in your life and can still say passion, goals, and drive is what keeps people going than I'll sit here and listen to your self indulgent, gum drop and gummybear bullshit!"
"Don't sit there and reiterate the story of my life," Serena yelled, the milky pale tone of her face growing redder by the second, "I admit, at the moment, my life is as close to perfect as it gets but that doesn't mean I didn't go through my rough patches! Contrary to your belief, I have felt pain but the difference is I chose not to revel in and get warped by it. I still have dreams. I still have things to accomplish in life and I'll be damned if I let you, some ungrateful horse's ass, convince me otherwise!"
"Silver spoons and a baby grand piano in your very own studio; I should just keep my damn mouth shut because obviously I could never in a million years feel that type of sordid pain!"
"What the hell do you know? Just because you're bitter and angry at the world doesn't give you the right to bring everyone else down with you! I love my life and I love the people in it. I have strength and believe in these things because of those people. You sitting there ridiculing my beliefs is like you sitting there and ridiculing the people I love so if you can't respect my world than get the hell out of my house!"
The shadow cloaking Darien's face lifted as eyes lost their furious glaze and his expression softened. Fire burned from every pore of Serena's body as her eyes pierced into him with unfathomable intensity. He had never seen this much energy exerted out of a woman before much less exerted unselfishly. She wasn't easily dominated and in a strange way it made him want her. Before, women would succumb to him. They would roll over and compromise themselves. It was flattering at first but shortly, it got to be annoying. On the contrary, this challenge was a very attractive change of pace.
Tilting his head back against the cushion, he stared up at the tiles and sighed.
"Hey."
"What?" Serena barked. The blonde was on edge with drawn claws and equally sharp teeth. She would defend her philosophy even if she was left stripped of her dignity and ego.
"Play me something."
The crimson drained from her face as her claws retracted back into their sheaths. Studying her sparing partner, she noticed in surprise how calm and serene he appeared. The defendant was baffled. Mere seconds ago he looked about ready to rip her throat out. Serena frowned and willed her anger to return but unfortunately, the only anger she could muster up was the anger at not being able to get angry again.
"I'm not a damn jukebox," Serena spat. She smiled at her comment and was satisfied that she had not let him gain the advantage. After all, she had fought so hard for her beliefs and refused to let him pull a reversal. Serena would be the one to emerge victorious in this battle.
"Please."
She opened and closed her mouth in awe at his first display of courtesy. Blinking, she screamed at herself not to fall victim to his tricks because that's all this was, a trick. This guy didn't have a single bone of appreciation in his body. At least, she decided, not a genuine one. Glancing at Darien, who at the moment was looking back at her, she became entranced yet again with the way stray black strands fell seductively over beautiful eyes. Frowning, Serena became more agitated at her weakness.
Without a word of acknowledgement, the pianist turned back towards her instrument. She began randomly flipping through her book of music before stopping at Bach's "Air on G". Forcing her body to relax, she lightly erected her hands on the board, pressed delicate fingers down on the keys, and brought to life the opening notes to her piece.
Meanwhile, Darien continued to watch over the younger girl while permitting the music to intoxicate his senses. Slowly and reluctantly, he began to slip into a rare state of peace.
-
"C'mon man, pick up the phone."
Seiya huddled further into the claustrophobic booth and cradled the receiver close to his mouth. He kept his eyes on flawlessly kept black sneakers in an effort to avoid eye contact with passing civilians. Before the answering machine could pick up for the third time in his attempt, he hung up and retried the call. The rock star turned fugitive's breathing grew heavier as his heart beating more erratically. Pale fingers carefully dialed an all too familiar number.
The ringing echoed into the deepest crevice of his ears like an isolated scream. Sweat beaded at his hairline while an excessive dryness in his throat caused him to lick his lips in hopes of gathering the necessary moisture through perspiration. With weary vision, Seiya finally glanced up at the world outside and was taken aback by how incredibly fast it was moving. He barely had time to observe as precious seconds evaporated into the past. A single sweat drop ran down his face unsympathetically.
"Hi, you reached the Saitos. We can't get to the phone right now but if you leave…"
The idol screamed in frustration and repeatedly slammed the phone against the hook without an ounce of reservation. Kicking at the booth's side panel with primitive fury, he began slamming tightened fists against his plastic shelter. Seiya slid down to the ground once his knuckles lacked the vitality necessary to continue its carnage in tears of desperation. He could only imagine the kind of attention his outburst attracted but at the moment it was of no consequence. Seiya was stuck in a nightmare so nihilistic that 9mm wielding cops demanding his surrender resembled a light of hope rather than its initial
He was stuck. A man who craved freedom so ravenously that he killed for it. But even with his freedom he was still dissatisfied. A part of Seiya wished he had submitted and allowed that cop to arrest him. Maybe it would have been better that way. It would have been better to be trapped like a caged animal inside a legitimate prison than to see his beloved world full of color and opportunities gradually become one itself. True, he was free in the literal sense but his guilt wouldn't allow him to enjoy it.
It was why he needed Yaten. Yaten would be his salvation. Seiya watched as the phone swayed back and forth in recovery from its current user's malice. Now if only his salvation could pick up the damn phone…
He hadn't realized how tired he was until he took a moment to relax. With all the perpetuated hype, Seiya didn't even have the time to acknowledge his own fatigue much less appease it by resting. He felt his body loosen considerably after stretching his legs out as far as he could in these cramped conditions. Resting his forehead on his knees, Seiya barely had time to shut his eyes before the nauseating remorse revived itself.
He had not killed Molly D'aubigne but the idol felt responsible nonetheless. Like a coward, he ran away from his past causing an innocent bystander to suffer the consequence of his flight. Seiya still clearly remembered the look of terror on her face at the sound of Sapphire's gun cocking back. He also remembered the blood, a color which blended perfectly with the auburn of her hair, seeping from the back of her head as dead blue eyes stared past him at the light shining brightly underneath drawn curtains.
Seiya wondered if Molly had a boyfriend and if she did whether or not she wished it had been him that she shared her final sexual encounter with. He began to wonder if she had any regrets about anything.
And what about the cop he had killed mere hours ago?
Seiya had accomplished almost every apprehensible action he could think of. From adultery to theft, he had experienced a close encounter with the misdemeanor kind on more than one occasion. But these sins were nothing more than minor injuries sustained in a car accident. You would be confined with more than enough time on your hands, occasionally revel in the epiphanies brought about by the tedium of solitary, surrender to minor depression, and then eventually recover. Life would go on.
This cop, though, was his first kill making those 'minor injuries' a bit more malignant.
Whereas Seiya wondered selfishly about Molly, he broadened his horizons and considered his victim's family. The man looked old enough to have a young wife and a few rugrats. His attention fluctuated between the desperation in the officer's eyes as he struggled to survive to the widow and kids he may or may not have had. Seiya didn't remember his own father very well but the Chiba patriarch's sudden disappearance was probably his most prominent memory to date. After all, it was the moment his life had slowly began to deteriorate.
He felt tears of remorse merge together with the overabundance of sweat trailing his face. Calloused hands roughly kneaded at his soaked face while forcing himself not to wince at the pain his sensitive pampered skin rebelled against. Seiya apologized silently to Mina as memories of her soothing voice and warm body clouded his brain. The runaway missed her but knew it was futile to dwell in the 'what-could-have-beens.' He would never see her again.
The tense knot in his stomach tightened while last night's noodles trailed up his chest with a lingering sensation that insinuated the worst was yet to come. Seiya leaned his head back against the booth and rubbed at his eyes. He felt sick in a sense that gravity had dispersed and his body was weightlessly spinning in circles.
"Hello…Hello…Who's there?"
Yaten!
Seiya propelled himself forward so anxiously that he dropped the phone twice before successfully placing the receiver back to his mouth and exclaiming, "Yaten, thank god, it's Seiya! Look man, I really need your help."
Gravity had returned.
-
"You're going to have to tell me eventually."
Rubeus took a sip of his brandy and narrowed his eyes on his younger brother, "What's there to tell. You pretty much know the whole deal."
Diamond kept his eyes locked intently on his informant without any indication of wavering. Crossing his arms, he declared, "I want to know the whole story. How did the project begin? Why involve Kagen? Why was Chiba involved? I want to know it all, Rubeus, and if you don't tell me do not expect me to pick up the slack the next time some bright eyed bushy tailed reporter comes in to investigate buried skeletons."
"You're a real pain in the ass, little brother."
"Oh, Rubeus DelGrassi, yes he's up in his office right at this very moment. What? His secretary told you he was at lunch? Well, I'm more than sure she was lying for him. I mean, any woman sneaking around with her boss behind the corporation, and not to mention Mrs. DelGrassi's, back is more than likely to tell little white lies for the sake of salvaging her two o'clock orgasm," the light haired deviant rehearsed with a snarky smirk of victory, "You've got too much dirty laundry not to tell me, big brother."
"When the hell did you become so underhanded?" Rubeus asked surprised at the dirty politics his own blood was willing to use against him. Sighing, the lecherous elder leaned forward and deposited the empty glass back on Diamond's desk, "So, what's the first question, asshole?"
Wiping the smirk from his face and exchanging his smug expression with a slightly more engaging one, Diamond replied, "I want to know what The Adam and Eve project is first off. I want to know what the goal of the whole organization was and why Kagen chose to get involved."
"The whole purpose of Adam and Eve was to restructure a random subject's DNA. If the experiment triumphed, a parent could bring a child into the laboratory and completely change their genetic makeup. Take for instance if they wanted their kid to be a genius, we can boost the child's intelligence. If the parent wanted their kid to be an athlete, we can boost the child's stamina," Rubeus explained while leaning back against the comfort of the leather chair and removing a cigarillo from his lapel, "The experiment wasn't just for parents wanting to make up for what their child lacked but it was also to strengthen Japan's military. Can you imagine genetically modified soldiers with progressive intelligence, strength, and stamina? Our country would dominate any other tactical force. We would be unstoppable."
"So you're saying the whole purpose of the analysis was to make a team of supermen," Diamond answered in disbelief while running a hand through a perfectly tamed coif.
"Not necessarily. At least, that wasn't the original goal. We decided to start simple by paying off financially strapped parents and trying to manipulate less dominant traits in their children. As time progressed, the technicians found minor changes in intelligence and strength; two major attributes we initially thought would cause significant difficulty. But nonetheless, Adam and Eve was proving to be a success."
Rubeus took a breath and chose this moment of silence to survey his brother's reaction. Diamond was a skeptic at heart. He knew that the reason he chose to participate in this cover-up in the first place was because Rubeus was blood. Without family ties, Kagen's head would have been nothing more than a media causality. Rubeus wondered if at the end of this explanation, he would still have his second in command's support.
"I can understand the urge to master genetic manipulation and use it to one's advantage but why involve Kagen in this?"
"At first, I didn't want anything to do with this experiment. By the time I had been approached with a request to sponsor, Parsons had already been placed under intense controversy and scrutiny by the media causing the organization to lose its funding and eventually close. I didn't know much more than what was written in the papers but I didn't want Kagen's name destroyed by association so I declined."
Diamond nodded as he poured his guest another drink before pouring one himself. Closing the crystal encasing, he sat back down at his desk and waited for Rubeus to continue.
"Around the same time, I had met a woman. She was a feisty, sexy thing who I had just started to see. Strangely enough, one night after we had gotten done fooling around, she had brought up that she read in the papers about experiments being conducted on children to alter their DNA. She had said the media had been foolish to negatively spotlight such a promising conquest. She was actually the one who insisted how this type of experiment could strengthen Japan. How this country could become the new wave of the future. It actually got me thinking of all the possibilities Kagen could have with such a fresh technique. It inspired me and before I knew it, I was hunting these people down for a piece of the profit."
Diamond rolled his eyes, "It's just like you to listen to anyone offering to be violated."
"Shut up. What she said made sense. With that type of option in Kagen's hands, this company would skyrocket. We would make history."
"But instead, the experiment failed miserably. You wasted millions of dollars in company profit and are now covering your mess up by killing innocents. Way to go."
"Are you done?" Rubeus barked angrily at the cynical words. He wasn't too shocked at the reaction considering the decision to get involved wasn't one of his wisest choices. Not only did he have the press constantly trying to hassle him but he also had blood on his hands.
Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
Rubeus had always hated that saying especially since it seemed to have been his father's favorite way to reprimand. His old man must be laughing his bloody head off wherever he was at.
"How did you get Darien Chiba involved in all of this?"
"I wanted to expand Kagen. I wanted a branch dedicated to cleaning up any seedy personalities associated with this company and I wanted these people undergo this special treatment. I wanted a test subject and since I had no one in particular in mind, Chiba was nothing more than random selection."
That was a lie. Darien Chiba had been hand picked on the street and Rubeus had indeed been encouraged by his mistress. She had specifically pointed this promising recruit out in a battle between rival gangs. But it was something Diamond could without a shadow of a doubt live without knowing. Diamond wouldn't focus on the potential this kid had, but instead he would single out the fact that he let some faceless woman he was sleeping with coerce him into bringing some punk into Kagen. Rubeus didn't want to give the demon any more ammunition.
"So all the people Darien had been ordered to kill were former Kagen products?"
"No. These people were previous subjects who survived the experiment. Together, Parsons and I had initially made the unanimous decision to abort the experiment when we discovered various negative and irreversible side effects associated with the manipulation. We also decided it was best, as a precaution, to wipe out this species. We couldn't risk these genes passing onto their offspring and causing an epidemic. It was best to nip this in the bud before it became something we couldn't contain."
The saliva escaped through the cavern of Diamond's throat as his mouth fought to secrete more in order to disband the dry cotton sensation taking effect. He didn't like to dwell on it, but Andrew Crown had indeed impregnated his goddess. What would Serena think when she discovered her son among the deceased. Smirking savagely, his mind worked marvels with the obvious facts. The only reason why that child's life would be cut short is all thanks to Crown. If she didn't already know about his past as a guinea pig, she soon would and hate him for dragging their son into his mess. Not only would that piece of trash become nothing more than a grease stain but Diamond no longer had to tolerate the bastard child spawn from his angel's affair with another man. Serena would be his in mind, body, and soul.
"You're right. It would be complete pandemonium if enhanced abilities were passed onto the future generations. God only knows how they may develop within the children. For all we know, you might create freaks of nature," Diamond offered with a sneer of disgust on his face. He had his ulterior motives but he also had a slight discomfort knowing there were still people walking the Earth who possessed far superior traits then an average human being. Serena's child may prove to be an even greater threat than Crown and Chiba combined.
Rubeus took another swig of his drink before calling quits on his alcohol consumption. Stretching his arms, he wrapped them behind his head and relaxed against them, "I'm not too worried about Crown. Considering he was treated as a normal procedure, I have more than enough faith that he'll be easy enough to take down. Chiba on the other hand is a completely different story. He was treated as a military inductee and endured a complete transformation both genetically and naturally through extensive training. His intelligence, stamina, and strength are far above average making him a perfect model soldier of the future."
"That was what you were aiming for wasn't it?"
"Yes, but you can't make an omelet without cracking a few eggs. By changing his makeup, we inflicted him with some brain damage. If I remember correctly, he sustained minor damage to the limbic system. The strange part about this whole situation was how he still remembered certain occurrences in his past; occurrences that with any type of damage to the hippocampus should have left him an amnesiac. They started talking dissociative personality disorder."
"Disccociative personality disorder…"
"I'm not getting too detailed. The guy's a live wire that's all I have to say. It's hard enough to put him down alone but if he's hip to our strategy, we're done for it. He's a monster and with the wrong information in his hands, he'll tear us all apart."
Diamond leaned back in his chair and considered the obvious danger. Folding his hands, he quirked an eyebrow and simply stated, "You do realize Emerald has important information that would be hazardous if given to the wrong person."
"Yeah, I'm aware," Rubeus countered a little more forcefully than originally intended, "We just need to keep her under constant surveillance. If she contacts Darien our plans are fucked. Not only will he thwart the operation to rub out Crown in spite, but he'll also destroy any chance we have at getting the guy's kid. I just have to tell Takashi not to waste any more time."
"Takashi?"
"Yes. We were already prepared to take on Darien. To keep him distracted, I even fed him some bullshit story that Andrew Crown aka Alex Yuri was waging war against my organization for political purposes. If Darien's in the dark, Takashi can make his move. I'm hoping for a synchrony of some sort. As Chiba takes his shot," the red head proclaimed with a hand gesture that poised into a ready to fire gun, "he won't even be able to enjoy the sweetness of his victory because Takashi's bullet will already he lodged into the back of his head. After that, all that's left is to snuff the little bastard child and its game over."
Diamond smirked at his brother's opportunist attitude and balanced his head on an open palm, "And what if your plan does go awry? What happens if this information reaches Darien and he's hip to our little plan?"
"Then it's an all out war."
The room was deathly silent after that reply as both men pictured a failed strategy and the horrifying bloodshed which would result.
-
"What's your poison?"
Jadeite eyed up the yakuza dive's newest bartender with uninhibited frustration. He wondered where Jiro was tonight and why he was being replaced by this nitwit. Jadeite never had to tell Jiro what he wanted, the man just knew. It made things easier that way especially tonight where the last thing the PI wanted to do was chat.
"Whiskey."
He took a seat at the bar and glanced around at the scene. Jadeite was meeting a big shot yakuza lieutenant tonight. He never got his name but word around the sewing circle was this guy was manic. If anyone could accomplish a seedy underground job, it was definitely him.
Watching the newbie put his drink in consumption distance, Jadeite grabbed the alcoholic substance and knocked it back in one pleasurable shot. After slamming down the glass and savoring the burning sensation in his chest, he pointed to the empty vessel in a gesture which suggested that the bartender was going to be very busy tonight.
Just as he had watched it being given, the Frenchman also watched it being taken away and refilled. He looked down at his watch.
Ten minutes late.
"I don't think I'm tardy enough to have you look down at your watch with that type of expression."
"Maybe so, but you're still late nonetheless."
His guest sat down on the stool next to him and told the server to make that whiskey two. Turning his eyes from the alcohol to his caller, the man replied, "Last time I checked, I was doing you the favor, friend."
Jadeite glared at him coldly. He was obviously younger than him with various black bangs poking out from under a brandless baseball cap. He was more muscular in build than the blonde investigator but also slightly taller. As he observed him, the one thing Jadeite noticed was how powerful the man's eyes were. They screamed aristocracy with the lack of empathy wealth was usually responsible for and shaded different hues of blue. The yakuza's eyes were a testament to the spectrum of that color.
"Here's your drink," the fresh faced bartender announced before leaving the two to take other orders.
"What's this about?"
Jadeite put the file with all his gathered information on the bar before picking up his whiskey and this time drinking it leisurely. He followed his help's hand across the surface and swept the contents up without reservation. Taking another sip, Jadeite patiently waited as he skimmed through the fine print and glimpsed at the photography.
"Who are we looking for?"
"His name is Seiya Kou. I am sure you heard of him one way or another considering this kid is an idol," Jadeite began while folding his hands and keeping focus on the interrogator, "He was last seen checking into a high class motel with a young girl. I'm not going to bore you with a lecture. All the specifics are in that folder I just gave you. Considering we are both busy people, I'll get directly to the point. I want this fuck dead."
Looking over the material, he caught a glimpse of a photo which peaked his interest. He shifted his eyes from his homework to the blonde, "Oh, now it makes sense why this kid is on your shit list? Who's the girl?"
"She was my cousin."
Jadeite downed the last remaining warm golden fluid in his cup and banged the small, ornate beaker down a little harder than he determined.
"Well, why call me? You can get any piece of shit off the street to snuff this guy for the right price."
"He has a brother."
He smirked and rested his chin on the palm of his hand, "Ah. And this brother just so happens to be superman?"
"He's as close to the man of steel as a human being can get. There is information on him provided as well."
Flipping through the contents, the mobster stopped at a picture of a young man who looked almost identical to the boy he was being asked to hunt. Separating the file from its bulk, he loudly read, "Darien Chiba, Kagen Inc. 25 years old."
"He may look like a harmless little pretty boy but he's highly skilled. I suggest taking him seriously," Jadeite warned. His eyes remained glued to his potential accomplice in hopes of reading any expression which would reveal this man's true worth. He was beginning to have doubts. This guy was unchiseled stone. There was no emotion or even indication of confidence. Jadeite began to wonder if he was capable of carrying out this assignment.
"You know my father, is that correct?"
The fair skinned foreigner was taken aback by the sudden change of discussion. In a way, Jadeite was a little put off by how unprofessional he was being by asking such a random question. Showing his discontent, he answered, "Yes. I am sure many people know your father. From what I hear, he is a very prominent boss."
He grinned, "One of my men seemed rather adamant that I meet you when I got notice of you nosing around this bar. I wondered why at first but then I remembered that my father mentioned you once before. He said that you were a godsend to the organization. He also told me that I should respect you and your wishes. It's the only reason why I decided to show up in the first place."
"Is that you're long winded way of telling me you will take my offer?"
The grin intensified into a chuckle after finally choosing to drink the ignored beverage beside him. Putting his empty glass back on the bar, he gathered up the folder, stood from his seat, and declared, "Yes. I guess that's my long winded way of telling you I'll take your offer."
Before his newly appointed comrade prepared to walk away, Jadeite asked, "I didn't get your name."
Turning around with a smile, he responded, "Where're my manners? The name's Sapphire and I'm sure it'll be a pleasure working with such an honorary man."
-
"That was one hell of a meal."
Darien yawned loudly as he rubbed at his stomach in satisfaction of the contents within. He had eaten over an hour ago but it had tasted so good that his stomach seemed to be fighting against digestion in order to keep the food there as long as possible. Who knew the next time he would be able to eat like that?
'That little pest sure can cook,' he mused. Everything from the steamed buns to the miso soup had been delicious. His only complaint was that she didn't make enough.
Pulling a key out of his jeans pocket, he froze in mid stride as the small grin evaporated from his face instantly. The short lived pleasure was gone and now in result, all that was left was bitter rage.
"Why am I looking at you? Didn't I tell you I had better never catch you around here again?"
Emerald DelGrassi arose from her uncomfortable seat on the hard carpeted floor, rubbed at her sore rear end, and retorted sarcastically, "It's so wonderful to see you too, Darien."
He had enough on his mind tonight.
Marching forward, Darien grabbed the smug vixen by the wrist and began roughly dragging her towards the elevator. Ignoring her pleas, he hissed, "You never listen, do you, Emerald? Let me tell you this again so it can sink in through the hairspray and into your thick skull. I don't want you here. Unfortunately, I have to see your face at work but when I'm not at Kagen, I'm not obligated to undergo that type of torture. So get the hell out of here!"
"I don't think you want to do that," Emerald shouted. She jerked her hand away from her ex-lover's grip, reached inside a stylish designer jacket, and pulled out a file, "I have something I'm more than positive you want to see."