Hiei gave the room one last look. Everything seemed to be there. Bed, sheeted with a quilt adorned with cheery sunflowers. Desk stacked with a selection of novels. Closet stocked with clothing that would hopefully fit the boy. Hair-care products set out on the dresser. Hiei couldn't think of anything else.
He had no idea what Kurama would make of the room. Had he ever had a proper room of his own?
"You sure work fast."
Hiei turned to the doorway to see his friend Yusuke leaning against the doorframe and looking over the room with interest.
"I don't have long," Hiei said. "I wanted to be sure that I have everything."
"Are you sure that this is a good idea?" Yusuke's chestnut eyes were full of worry. "This guy might go back and tell Karasu about you."
"I'm not going to tell him who I am straight away," Hiei snapped. "I'm not that stupid."
"What if he figures it out?" Yusuke retorted, taking a step into the room.
"He won't," Hiei said stubbornly. He smoothed out a wrinkle in the quilt.
"Don't you think he's going to find it strange that you treat him this way?" Yusuke asked. "I doubt anyone else does."
"Are you saying that I should treat him like a dog? Beat him? Rape him? Starve him? Keep him in a cage?" Hiei demanded, rounding on Yusuke.
Yusuke deflated beneath his ire. "No," he said quietly. "It's just…. I'm worried about you, man. I don't think you're focused on the job anymore. I think you've lost perspective."
Yusuke took another step closer. Hiei felt the urge to back away from the dark-haired man but he wasn't one to give ground. He glared sullenly at Yusuke, daring him to continue.
Yusuke wasn't one to back down, either. He met Hiei's glare unapologetically.
"I think you're too nice for this job," he said. "Kuwabara might laugh at me for saying it, but it's true. Fact is, if you want to stop the Black Black Club, you're going to have to hurt this boy. I don't think you can."
"I can," Hiei said bitterly.
"You're a fucking liar," Yusuke snorted, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I can. You'll see," Hiei insisted.
Maybe Yusuke was right about one thing. Maybe he had lost sight of what was really important. He couldn't pin all of his hopes on Kurama betraying Karasu. If that were a possibility, then Karasu wouldn't be handing him over to Hiei for the weekend. Karasu must have absolute faith that Kurama was loyal to him or he would keep the boy under his thumb.
Sadly, Kurama's situation was not unique. Hiei wasn't doing this for Kurama. He was doing it for all the children whose futures had been stolen away. He was doing it for all the children whose innocence had been ripped to shreds. He was doing it for the ghost of a girl whose face he couldn't remember.
Yusuke still looked skeptical, one black eyebrow raised.
"We'll see," he said doubtfully.
—
Yusuke stood beside Hiei as Karasu's employee opened the boot of the black car in Hiei's garage. Tucked inside, curled up in the fetal position and fast asleep, was the redheaded boy.
Karasu joined them as Yusuke stepped forward and hefted the oblivious teenager up into his arms. Kurama's long limbs dangled limply. Hiei scanned him over for marks but found nothing unexpected.
"He's been heavily sedated," Karasu told Hiei. "He won't wake for at least three hours. I hope that won't be a problem. He travels much better when he's unconscious."
"It's not a problem," Hiei said numbly.
Yusuke carried Kurama out of the garage and into the house proper. His face was expressionless but Hiei knew that he was very unhappy with the situation. They'd not really been able to meet eye-to-eye regarding the weekend plans.
"I'll pick him up on Monday morning," Karasu said. "Please let me know if he's too much trouble. I can have someone pick him up earlier if necessary. I doubt he'll give you any trouble, however."
There was a pleased gleam in Karasu's eyes. Hiei wondered what Karasu had done to ensure Kurama's obedience. This man was pure evil.
Karasu left, after a few more instructions regarding Kurama's diet. It seemed that he hadn't had much to eat for the last two days and Hiei would have to be careful about what he was fed. Too much rich food would make him sick.
Hiei went directly to Kurama's room after Karasu's departure. The redhead was sprawled on the covers, still lost in his dreams. Yusuke stood by the window, his arms crossed and a frown on his tanned face.
"I'm going back to Keiko's for the weekend," he said, not quite meeting Hiei's eyes. "I don't want to be around for… this." He gestured at Kurama's sleeping form.
"I understand," Hiei said. He wished that he could run away too, but he'd started this and he didn't have that option.
Yusuke opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something more, but then he closed it, trapping the words. He gave Kurama one last regretful look before moving past Hiei and out of the room.
Hiei sat down on the bed beside Kurama and shifted his arms into what he hoped was a more comfortable position. Kurama's eyelids fluttered and he mumbled something but Hiei couldn't make it out. He slipped back into his dreams.
Kurama's face was clean of the makeup he'd worn last time Hiei had seen him. He was dressed today, in a loose plain t-shirt and faded jeans. The leather collar was still wrapped around his slender neck.
Hiei fingered it, wondering how Kurama would react if he removed it. He pushed the thought away. He shouldn't be thinking like that. If he wasn't careful, then Kurama would discover who he was. Hiei couldn't chance that. If Kurama returned to Karasu and told him everything…
Hiei shuddered. The Black Black Club would disappear. All those children would disappear. None of them would be saved and their abusers would never face punishment for what they'd done.
Hiei tucked Kurama beneath the blankets and left the room. There was no point in sitting around for three hours. He had work to do anyway. He might be working as a spy right now but he still had his own corporation to worry about.
—
Kurama woke sluggishly. He squirmed, feeling smothered by the weight of the blankets covering him. He pushed them aside, his limbs feeling heavy. Blinking owlishly in the moonlit room, he peered around himself in confusion.
He didn't recognise this room. This room wasn't in Karasu's mansion. He was certain of that. He struggled to remember what had happened before he'd woken up. He'd been dozing on the floor of Karasu's office when someone had made him drink something.
The realisation that he'd been drugged was an unpleasant one. Kurama sat up, checking himself over quickly. No new marks. No restraints. Nothing immediately alarming.
Kurama looked around the room with a new perspective. Karasu only ever drugged him when he wanted to move Kurama a significant distance. He didn't trust Kurama to behave out in a public space.
This room had to be in Jaganshi's house. Kurama slid off the bed and began to explore.
The window was open, letting in a cool breeze. The desk was set before the window. Kurama curiously picked up the books left on it. He could just make out their titles in the dark. He recognised two of them as classics that he had already read but the other three were new to him. Kurama placed them back down, carefully positioning them with the largest on the bottom.
He looked over the dresser next. He fingered the bristles of the brush before setting it back down. As he had with the books, he arranged everything to his own specifications. It was a habit now and one that he took comfort in.
He went through the drawers, organising their contents as well. He found nothing alarming inside them. No toys. No restraints or blindfolds. Just clothes.
The closet was next. It contained only more clothes. Kurama rearranged them according to type and colour before returning to the bed. He sat down, feeling at a loss. He needed to use the bathroom but he was too afraid to leave the room.
Kurama curled up beneath the covers once more, turning over the current situation in his mind. He was in Jaganshi's house. For the first time in a long time, he was out of Karasu's direct control. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? Was it an opportunity or a trap?
Karasu's treatment of him over the last few days had left him reeling. He'd killed someone. It wasn't the first time, of course. But it was the first time in at least a year. Kurama hated himself. He hated himself for committing the act in the first place and he hated himself for being glad that it wasn't him in that man's position.
Karasu had made it very clear to him that if he put so much as a toe wrong this weekend, he would be in that man's position. Kurama had no doubt that was true.
The door opened. Kurama shaded his eyes as light flooded the room. He peeked out to see a dark form approaching him. He shrank beneath the covers. His visitor had flicked on the overhead light and it was too much for Kurama's sensitive eyes.
"Kurama?"
Kurama stuck his nose out, his heart hammering. It was Jaganshi. The black-haired man stood next to the bed, dressed in slacks and a white long-sleeved shirt. His red eyes surveyed Kurama.
Kurama edged out from beneath the covers nervously. He felt somewhat reassured when Jaganshi reached out to hold his shoulder.
"How are you feeling?" the short man asked.
Kurama looked down. "I need to go to the bathroom," he said, praying that Jaganshi wouldn't be angry with him.
"Come on, then."
Jaganshi showed Kurama out of the room and across the hall to the bathroom. He paused before the doorway.
"You don't need to ask in the future," he said. "You can use it whenever you want to."
Kurama nodded, grateful. Not all of Karasu's friends were so kind. They thought it was amusing to make Kurama hold it until he couldn't anymore.
"Thank you, sir," he said.
"You don't need to thank me," Jaganshi snapped.
Kurama flinched, moving a step away from him.
Jaganshi took a deep breath, his expression smoothing out.
"I don't know the sort of rules that Karasu has," Jaganshi said, his tone hard. "But I do things differently. You can come and go from your room as you wish. Just don't leave the house. No one here will hurt you, Kurama."
Kurama stared at him, shocked. Jaganshi spun on his heel and retreated into the room he'd given Kurama.
Kurama went into the bathroom and did his business. He took his time washing his face, trying to scrub away the last of his drowsiness. Jaganshi was definitely a very strange little man.
—
Hiei waited for Kurama to return, feeling conflicted. He paced the room, at a loss as to what to do now that he had Kurama isolated from Karasu. Was it safe to try to convince Kurama to run away from Karasu?
As Hiei paced the room, he noticed that the books had been moved. Frowning, he walked over to the desk. The books were neatly stacked, their spines flush with the edge of the desk.
Hiei observed that the contents of the dresser had been shifted around as well. Bottles were in order from smallest to largest. Everything was placed as squarely as they could be.
Hiei opened the closet to see that the clothes had been moved as well. He closed the closet and turned to survey the room, feeling disturbed.
Kurama had OCD tendencies. Was that his way of dealing with the trauma he suffered? He had no control over his own life so he exerted control over the few things he had?
A wave of pity washed over Hiei. This was a sign that Karasu's abuse had affected Kurama greatly. Maybe even more than Kurama himself knew.
Kurama edged into the room, a wary dog too afraid of his master to disobey. Hiei tried to smile welcomingly at him but Kurama paled and tried to hunch in on himself.
"I took too long. I'm sorry, sir," he said.
"No. No, you didn't. Come here."
Hiei patted the bedcovers. Kurama came, jade eyes watchful. He sat gingerly on the bed. Hiei smoothed his hair down.
"No one in this house will hurt you, Kurama," he repeated. "This room is yours. No one will come in here except me. You're safe here."
Kurama looked at him, clearly disbelieving. Or he was too afraid to believe only to find himself disappointed when it turned out that Hiei was a liar.
"Karasu said that you haven't had much to eat so we'll keep your dinner light," Hiei said. "I'm sure you're hungry."
"Yes, sir." Kurama's eyes had a glassy sheen to them. He didn't appear to be focusing on anything.
"Come on."
Hiei urged him up and directed him to the dining room. He pushed Kurama into a chair. The redhead tried to resist.
"Stop it," Hiei snapped, losing his patience. "Just sit down."
Kurama did, right on the edge of the chair., as if he intended to slide off it at any moment. His hands were shaking. He still had that glassy-eyed look, as though he'd completely shut down. Hiei really hoped that he hadn't. How could he reach Kurama if he'd retreated into himself.
"Don't move," Hiei ordered him tersely before he went to the kitchen.
It was late but the cook was still up. She quickly prepared a simple meal for Kurama. Hiei had warned her that he'd be needing something of the sort at an ungodly hour and she'd been expecting the request.
Hiei returned with the food to find that Kurama was still where he'd been left. His hands were neatly folded in his lap. Hiei set the plate down in front of him. Kurama stared dully at the food. It was a small meal of mostly vegetables. It was bland, but Hiei didn't know if Kurama could handle strong flavours. He'd decided to err on the side of caution.
"Eat," Hiei told him as he sat down beside Kurama.
Kurama did, but slowly. He kept glancing sideways at Hiei, as if he expected Hiei to take the plate from him at any moment. He used his arm to shelter it, hunching over the food.
What kind of sick games had Karasu played using Kurama's food? What had him looking so wary? Hiei couldn't guess and he was sure that he didn't even want to try.
Kurama finished his meal. His shoulders relaxed as he swallowed the last morsel of food.
Footsteps heralded a new presence in the room. Hiei turned his head to see an unexpected figure enter.
She hovered near the doorway, her eyes wide as they landed on Kurama.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said, her voice dropped to a whisper. "I know it's late but K— " She stopped speaking abruptly. She held a folder clutched tight to her bosom. Her oddly-coloured fuchsia eyes were wide.
"Is that the information I asked for, Botan?" Hiei asked carefully.
Kurama was staring curiously at the blue-haired girl.
"Y-yes, it is. It's all here."
Botan approached, meeting Kurama's stare as she did so. She smiled tentatively at him. Kurama didn't return the smile. Instead, he looked away. He tugged on the hem of his sleeve, as if he were seeking a distraction.
Botan set the folder down in front of Hiei.
"I don't think you should read it right now," she hissed in Hiei's ear. Her eyes travelled to Kurama.
Kurama looked up, frowning. He'd clearly heard Botan's suggestion. She hadn't been quiet enough.
It was clear that she didn't want Hiei to open the folder in Kurama's presence. Nonetheless, Hiei was terribly curious about what it contained.
He'd requested this information but he actually hadn't truly expected his boss to come up with anything. He must have found something.
"Thank you, Botan," he said.
"It's no problem," she said, her tone brightening. "Good night, Hiei."
"Good night, Botan."
The girl left and Hiei rose to his feet. He reached for the plate before Kurama.
"I'll be back in a moment," he informed Kurama. He left the room and returned the plate to the kitchen.
He found Botan waiting for him in the hall.
"That's him?" she hissed at him, her eyes bright with curiosity.
"Yes. That's Kurama," Hiei told her.
Botan grabbed his sleeve. "You can't let him go back, Hiei. Look at how skinny he is."
Hiei shook her off. "I have to," he said.
Botan refused to be deterred. "No, you don't," she said. "I bet he knows who the members of the Black Black Club are. I bet he knows about Karasu's business. Karasu could be arrested just for what he's done to that boy. We could use that as an excuse to go through his records…"
"That's assuming he cooperates," Hiei snapped. "He won't."
"You don't know that. You haven't even asked him," Botan retorted. "If you hand him back to Karasu, then you're just as bad as he is."
She spun on her heel and stalked down the hall, her blue ponytail swinging behind her. Hiei leaned against the wall, his legs feeling weak.
Was that true? Was he as bad as Karasu?
—
Kurama's fingers itched. He stared at the folder sitting innocently on the table. He was consumed with an insatiable curiosity.
He'd gone through Karasu's documents before. It had started when he was a child. He'd stared at the strange, foreign lines and imagined that they were a secret code that needed deciphering. Karasu had thought it was amusing and let him look, as long as he didn't mark or damage the documents. There had been no harm in it, since he couldn't read anyway.
But then he had learned to read and those foreign lines had started to make sense. Even then, Karasu hadn't cared. Why would he? What would Kurama ever do with the information in the first place?
But, through those stolen glimpses, Kurama had gained an understanding of the business world and Karasu's place in it. He knew more than anyone else — except Karasu — about his owner's business.
He knew about Karasu's side deals as well, because he'd been present during many negotiations and discussions, fawned and petted over while the men discussed smuggling routes and money matters.
Kurama couldn't resist the urge to reach for the folder. He'd just have a quick look. It probably wouldn't be anything important.
Kurama opened the folder and began to read. He quickly skimmed the first page and moved on to the second.
Confusion grew inside him. This wasn't anything to do with Jaganshi's business. These papers were all concerning a missing person case from more than a decade ago. Why was Jaganshi interested in this?
It wasn't until Kurama read the last page that he began to understand. The page was hand-written and was a letter of some sort to Jaganshi.
'As you've already read, evidence from witnesses indicates that someone matching Karasu's description was in the area where the baby disappeared. The mother said that she'd noticed a black car that didn't belong in the area during the days preceding the kidnapping. She did not see it ever again after the baby was taken. Another witness gave the license plate number to authorities but, for some reason, it was never checked. We checked it. The car belonged to a corporation that we've been able to trace to Karasu.
It's more than likely that this baby and Kurama are the same person.'
For a moment, Kurama couldn't do anything. He couldn't even breathe. With a trembling hand, he flipped back to the first page and re-read everything.
—
Hiei stood in the doorway of the dining room, not sure what to do. Kurama was reading through the contents of the folder, his face completely drained of colour. Hiei could see that his hand was shaking badly.
Hiei walked over to stand beside him. Kurama was so absorbed in his reading that he didn't even notice Hiei's presence. On an impulse, Hiei tucked his red hair behind his ear.
Kurama jumped, letting out a sharp cry. He might have toppled off the seat if Hiei hadn't grabbed hold of his arm.
Hiei rubbed his shoulders, trying to calm him, but Kurama was shaking all over now.
"It's okay. I'm not angry with you," Hiei said. He couldn't understand why Kurama was so upset.
"It's me," Kurama whispered hoarsely.
"What?" Hiei asked.
"I-it's me," Kurama repeated.
Realising that he wasn't going to get any sense out of the redhead, Hiei picked up one of the papers and looked through it.
A police report about a missing baby. No mention of Kurama. How had Kurama connected that to himself?
The last page revealed the answer. Koenma had been less-than-subtle. Hiei shook his head despairingly.
He sat down beside Kurama.
"You had to realise that you were kidnapped," he said seriously.
"I-I didn't know for sure."
Kurama's face remained white as milk. He put one hand on the papers, as if he were afraid that they might vanish at any moment.
"She's my mother," he whispered.
A photo had been provided of the woman whose baby had been taken. She was a gorgeous young black-haired woman. She had a kind face, though it was lined with pain. She stared out of the small photo from between Kurama's fingers. A ghost just like Hiei's sister.
But, unlike Hiei's sister, she might not have to remain that way.
"We can find her," Hiei said gently. He wanted to say more, offer more, but he was afraid that he was already pushing it too far. Kurama might not have the courage to face this.
Kurama stared at him, eyes glassy once more. "Who are you?" he asked. "How did you get this? Why?"
Hiei took a deep breath. There was no point in hiding anything now. Kurama had learned too much already.
"I work for a government agency looking into human trafficking," he said quietly. "We've been investigating Karasu and his associates for years."
Kurama looked stunned. "You're… undercover?" he asked disbelievingly. "Like in James Bond?"
Hiei laughed. Kurama had mentioned something about reading a James Bond book on the first night they'd met. He'd found it exciting though unrealistic. Hiei had been amused at the time. What did Kurama, sheltered in Karasu's dubious care, know of realism? Hiei feared that he had as little understanding of Kurama's world as Kurama had of the outside world.
Kurama recoiled at the sound. He picked up the sheet of paper with the photograph on it and held it protectively to his chest.
"We can find her," Hiei repeated, lowering his voice.
"K-Karasu will… He'll kill me," Kurama whispered. "He'll kill me."
"We'll protect you. He won't find you," Hiei promised. Karasu's resources were vast, but so were Hiei's. If Kurama was the key to unlocking the Black Black Club's secrets, then Hiei would do whatever it took to protect him. Even if that protection had to come out of his own funds. Even if he had to call in favours.
"What if she doesn't want me?" Kurama asked.
"Look at that photo again," Hiei told him.
Kurama did, clutching the paper tightly.
"Does that look like the face of someone who didn't want that baby?" Hiei asked gently.
Kurama slowly shook his head.
"Can you really protect me?" he asked. His hair had fallen forward to shadow his face. He looked very much like a child.
"I promise we can," Hiei said determinedly.
