Sorry it took me so long guise! Hope you like it though! Leave me some love! :).
xxx
"Izumi. Sakaeguchi," Abe demanded, never leaving their line of sight. Izumi glared up at him, his mouth twisting in concern.
"We must go," he said softly, trying to push past Abe for the door.
"Go where?" Abe folded his arms across his chest. Izumi pushed with all his might on Abe's legs. Abe never moved of course.
"Hokkaidō," Izumi grunted with the exertion. Abe's calm manners flew out the window when he heard that name. He crouched to Izumi's and Sakaeguchi's level.
"Guys," he took them by the shoulders, "boys, snap out of it," he shook them slightly. Just a little tug and push on their shoulders. Their distant eyes cleared, they focused on Abe.
"Abe-kun, what happened?" Sakaeguchi asked breathlessly. The life went out of him, they both seemed exhausted. Izumi sat on the floor, Sakaeguchi sank. Izumi collapsed into Sakaeguchi's shoulder and within a couple seconds, they were both sleeping once again.
"That's what the system does to them. If someone can snap out of the force field, they grow exhausted, they fall asleep," the boy behind the counter said, he was scrutinizing the little scene unfolding before him.
"When will they wake up–can I wake them up?" Abe asked from his spot on the floor. He looked over his shoulder at the boy. He smirked at Abe, like this was all actually a very funny dream. Abe wished it was a dream, but even he couldn't conjure up something like this.
"Yes you can wake them up, but they'll just go right back to sleep. They need at least ten hours of sleep, but it may vary. Are they twins? They don't look like twins," the boy traveled far off topic.
"I don't know," Abe shook his head, "they talk like twins, they act like twins, but they have different last names," Abe gazed down at the kids, their upper bodies slumping closer to the ground. Abe lowered them the rest of the way to the floor. He'll move them after he's done talking to this boy.
"What are their names…matter of fact what is your name and the boy that disappeared's name?" he inquired, plopping his elbows down on the counter. He watched Abe intently.
"My name is Takaya Abe," Abe started off, "the boys' names are Yuuto Sakaeguchi and Kousuke Izumi and the boy that disappeared's name is Yuuichirou Tajima. What is your name?" The boy's features contorted in terror. He looked absolutely terrified.
"Y-Yuuto Sakaeguchi and Kousuke I-Izumi?" the boy stammered, he removed his elbows from the counter.
"Yes, what's the matter," Abe still didn't know his name. He noticed the boy's red hair and onyx-grey eyes. He seemed to always have a semi-amused smile on his face, as if he thought everything he encountered was hilarious.
"Yuuto Sakaeguchi and Kousuke Izumi are widely known as Zig and Zag. They could find anyone, and take anyone down, no matter how big said person was. They're dangerous and they're ruthless," the boy explained, the color draining from his face.
"You must have them confused with someone else. These boys are as harmless as they come," Abe was becoming defensive. He couldn't see those boys hurting or "taking down" anyone.
"That could be quite possible. I've never seen their profile before; I've only ever heard their name. It could be a completely different Kousuke Izumi and Yuuto Sakaeguchi," he didn't seem convinced, his voice stung with the presence of sarcasm. Abe needed this conversation to turn and he needed it to turn now.
"So what is your name?" Abe demanded playfully, scrutinizing the boy with a sly spread of his lips.
"Fumiki Mizutani," he smiled again, his eyes taking on a lazy tone. Abe nodded.
"Pleasure," he said, standing up, "I have a huge favor to ask of you. But a question first."
"Shoot," he nodded watching Abe with intent.
"Are you on their side, or mine?" Abe asked slowly, steadily. If he was on Abe's side–and he can tell when someone was lying–he can trust him with the boys when he goes to retrieve Tajima.
"Elaborate, please?" the amused expression was back, a small smile lifting up the corners of his mouth.
"If I leave the boys with you, will you turn them in or protect them?" Abe said patiently, he didn't quite know how old this boy was, if he was an adult there was a possibility he would run out of this hotel after Abe left. Abe wondered if they got paid for bringing a kid in. He kept his voice pitched low in case anyone was listening.
"Don't worry," Mizutani smiled, "hotels are considered neutral ground. No one can take the children while they're in this hotel. That's why they created the Beaconing System. Parents would hide their children in hotels to keep them away, but if for a second they weren't paying attention and the child fell under the force field, they'd be gone and on their way to the source without their parents' knowledge of the act." Abe completely disregarded Mizutani's explanation. Something cold coursed through him.
"If they wake up, will they be drawn again?" Abe became worried. If Mizutani didn't watch the children, they could be in danger and he'd have to go back, again.
"No, they are permanently broken from the Beaconing System. And I know what you're going to ask, yes I will watch them. I have some seats behind the counter, they can sleep here until you get back," Mizutani said the magic words. Abe's body swelled with happiness.
"Thank you so much," Abe picked up Sakaeguchi. He didn't have enough hands to carry them both. Mizutani scurried out and picked up Izumi, following Abe closely. He pointed with his chin to the two chairs sitting idly, solitarily behind the counter.
"You can put them there," he stared at them. Abe took the far one, laying the limp Sakaeguchi in it. Mizutani followed suit with Izumi in the other chair.
"Won't you need one?" Abe asked, standing to full height. Mizutani shook his head.
"I'm usually standing anyways," he shrugged, smirking at Abe.
"Thank you, really. I owe you one," Abe raced out of the hotel, he took a deep breath of the cold morning air. His breath came out in a small cloud. He drew his scarf closer to his face and started off toward Hokkaidō. It felt weird, traveling alone. He wondered why he didn't feel drawn to Hokkaidō. Abe blinked, already leaving the town.
xxx
It's been two days. He was camping out in the hotel he was in, in the third town. The boy behind the counter recognized him when he walked in:
"Back so soon?" he smirked at Abe. Abe nodded his head answering him.
"I'm on my way back to Hokkaidō," Abe sniffed, shivering the rest of the cold out of his body. He was in a toasty hotel now, he was warming up quick.
"Where's your company?" the boy blinked at Abe. When he said those words, Abe's heart sank. He didn't care for traveling alone. Who would have his back? Who would keep his spirits up when we was sulking? He was sulking now.
"Tajima's in Hokkaidō and the boys are in the next town over," Abe explained. He felt miserable, not used to having so much silence. The boy nodded, becoming all business now.
"Single room?" the boy asked, his dark brown eyes soft and nice. His nose was slightly bigger, but he could pull it off.
"Yes please," Abe said softly, reaching in his pocket and drawing out a one hundred dollar bill. He remembered the price from the last time he was here.
"What's your name, sir?" he already knew his name, but, Abe guessed, it was probably regulation.
"Takaya Abe," Abe answered with high patience. He just remembered, he had to buy a scarf before he left this town. This was the only town that sold clothing, as far as Abe knew. He didn't have Tajima here to tell him. The boy nodded, scribbling his name down on a piece of paper. He spoke with his head down to Abe.
"My name is Kazutoshi Oki," Abe heard a smile in his hushed voice. Abe peered down at him.
"Pleasure," Abe nodded slightly, taking the card from Oki's hand gently.
"Breakfast is from six to ten," he smiled at him. Abe returned it, walking for the stairs, he needed to think. One more town and he'd have to fight for Tajima.
"Thank you," he said over his shoulder, before he disappeared through the doorway to the stairwell.
"That'll be ten dollars, please," the nice lady behind the counter wrapped up the scarf Abe had just bought. It looked exactly like Tajima's and his. Shou will love it. He handed her the ten dollar bill.
"Thank you," Abe said sincerely, gingerly taking the bag off the counter.
"No, thank you," the lady smiled and busied herself with some of the clothing on the rack behind the desk. Abe said nothing as he heard the faint chirpings of the bell over the door when he opened it. He left the store, wandering idly back to the hotel. Had to say goodbye to Oki before he left. He'll be back soon anyways.
"Welcome back," Oki smiled when Abe walked in.
"Yeah, say I'm heading out," Abe pointed over his shoulder with his thumb, "got to go get Tajima."
"What happened to him, anyways? He was here when you were here the last time," Oki watching him with interest, curiosity blooming in his brown eyes.
"He was taken over by the–"
"The Beaconing System. Am I right?" Oki looked disgusted when he said that. Wordlessly Abe nodded his head. Anger seared through the boy.
"God, I hate that. He was living with you in a hotel, wasn't he?" Oki demanded harshly. Abe nodded again, watching him, "that's where it's strongest, you know. The force field. And all because of the epidemic where the parents hid their children in hotels because they're considered neutral ground. They needed something to draw them out. Took them five years until they perfected the Beaconing System. Then they had the bulk of it inserted in the hotels and the source in Hokkaidō."
"Why am I not drawn to it?" Abe inquired softly, after Oki was done ranting. Oki stared at him for what felt like hours, but was only a few seconds. His deep brown eyes reading things in his that even Tajima wouldn't have known.
"You must either be too old or something tragic happened to you when you were younger. You have basically nothing in the temporal lobe of your brain. That's how the Beaconing System works. It keys with your emotions and pulls you to the source that way," Oki explained. He looked so sad.
"It got you, didn't it?" Abe asked softly. Oki didn't answer. He turned his eyes to the counter and nodded silently. Abe looked at a clock. It was passed noon. He was late.
"I must go," he began to leave, but turned back to Oki with determination in his eyes, "I'll come back for you," and with that, Abe left. He didn't wait for Oki's answer for fear that Abe would never leave. There's a day or two's journey up ahead of him. One more town to pass through before Hokkaidō. The scarf tucked in his jacket, he mustn't lose it, for Shou...if he was still there.
xxx
Abe had just entered Hokkaidō when he spotted the boy. Mihashi. Abe pretended not to see him as he passed. But the boy called his attention.
"Hey, Abe right?" Mihashi's voice caused Abe to stop in his tracks.
"Yeah," Abe's grey gaze met his green one. Mihashi's eyes snapped back and forth between Abe's eyes.
"Your friend...uh...Tajima?" Abe nodded consent to the name and he continued, "well Tajima was just here a day or so ago. Looked like he was under a trance. Caught him willingly walking into the Work Force. Have no idea why though."
"Would he still be in there, today?" Abe asked. He had to find Tajima and get him back. The silence was driving him mad.
"No he'd have been assigned to a job by now," Mihashi shook his head sadly.
"If I walk in there, can I request to see him?"
"No, you'd have to find him yourself. Unless you're a manager looking for another employee. You could do that, you look old enough," Mihashi smiled slightly at him. Abe mustered up the courage to ask him something.
"Are you in the Work Force?" Abe asked, peering deeply in Mihashi's eyes. They filled with tears, he nodded, "is your employer as horrible as Hanai's?"
"You mean Miss Kurono? No. He's not as bad as Miss Kurono. At least he feeds me once a day," Mihashi said.
"Aren't your parents allowed to give you dinner?" Abe nearly demanded, his voice taking on a hard edge. This town...he would tear it to pieces if he could.
"No. Not unless our employer says so," Mihashi answered, "besides, my parents are dead anyways. Before Kanou was taken in, we'd feed each other. One day, he'd go out for food, the other day, I'd go out for food. We had a system, before...well...you know."
"I truly am sorry about that," Abe apologized for the third time to this kid about his cousin. Mihashi shook his head as Abe said the word 'sorry.'
"Don't be," Mihashi smiled softly at him. Abe nodded, another question searing its way through his brain.
"Is this the only Work Force?" if this was, Abe had a plan forming.
"Yes, why?"
Abe didn't answer his question, "has your cousin been put into the Work Force?"
"Yes. It's part of his community service," Mihashi blinked, staring up at Abe, "Abe what are you thinking?"
"What towns are affected by this?" Abe tilted his head to the side. Mihashi thought for a minute.
"Hokkaidō, Koyto–which is the first town, that way," Abe nodded, they went there after this one, "Ainokura–the town after Koyto," Oki's town. To be honest, Abe thought the list would have stopped there, but then he remembered the boys falling under the spell in Mizutani's hotel, "and the last one is Kamakura," Mizutani's town.
"Is there a limit on kids? And can I just request any kid I want?" Abe was growing excited. He had to clench his fists to make sure they didn't shake.
"No limit. And yes you can request any of the kids and they will give them to you without a second thought," Mihashi elaborated. A bell chimed, "shoot, I must go. Nice seeing you again."
Abe waved slightly, thinking, this isn't the last time we meet.
Time to put his plan into action. Abe's feet pounded into the soft snow, his hands warming up, for he put them in the pockets of his trench coat. He made a mental list of who he was going to save.
A bell chimed overhead when he opened the door. An old hunchbacked lady glared up at him. Her voice sounded like sandpaper, "how may I help you?"
"I would like to request some children. Six to be in fact," Abe said smoothly, putting on his most dazzling look. He smiled, just slightly showing his teeth. His eyelids lowered a bit. He knew this was the killer for the ladies. Young and old.
"Have any in particular?" the lady asked after a great pause. Strike one, he had got her.
