Hello everyone! Nice to see you. You know the drill; I hope you enjoy and I don't own K project!
Chapter 4: Puzzle Pieces
When Andy awoke she had a pounding headache.
Not surprising, she thought grimly, considering what had happened to her.
When she had come back to full consciousness she had instinctively opened her eyes which she now regretted, she could hear someone else in the room with her. But fortune smiled upon Andy (for once) and whoever it was hadn't seemed to notice that she was awake. She quickly shut her eyes again, feigning unconsciousness, and peered out from under her lashes.
From the silhouette she could tell the person was a male, she couldn't see any smaller features, she just knew that he was tall, broad shouldered and had brown hair, she was betting it was Usui.
Sure enough when he turned around Katzuo Usui smiled at her, "ah, you're awake."
Well damn, had it been that obvious? Maybe Andy wasn't as good an actress as she thought she was, seeing no point in continuing to pretend, she opened her eyes up fully.
Andy wasn't sure if, in his presence, lying her way out of this situation was even actually possible. She hesitated briefly over dropping the act and simply kicking her way out of here, silly Strain had tied her up with ordinary rope, or pretending she had no idea what she was doing here, she wanted to get out of here now, naturally, but if she could get anything out of him that might help. Yes now she had reason enough to arrest him, to get a warrant and to end her undercover mission. But Usui and others being Strains complicated things, and there was no guarantee they'd catch his accomplices. Anything she could get him to tell her now would be a blessing.
As far as she could see, she was in no immediate danger, she had clearly been underestimated.
"What do you want with me?" She demanded, pretending to struggle against the ropes, she could burn them to cinders in an instant but the longer he remained unaware of that the longer the element of surprise stayed on her side. Not that she was likely to need it.
"Just to answer a few questions, and then when your companion gets here-"
"What? I'll be free to go?" Andy demanded, she knew how stupid that would be, she knew his name and his face. Whether she was with Scepter 4 or not he had attacked her and tied her up. It would be foolish to let her go now.
"No. Then we'll kill you both, but rest assured you probably have a few hours left before he finds you." Yeah, interesting point, where was she? Her eyes flicked left and right, there was nothing but the desk at which Usui had been standing, there was a gun and a computer on the desk, the computer seemed to be showing footage from video cameras. Ah ha! They'd been right! Then again, those cameras weren't necessarily in the hotel, they could be from anywhere but still; video cameras! They'd been partially right!
The walls were bare cement, oh dear God please no more abandoned warehouses. Wait, there were no windows and the room was quite dark with only a single swinging lamp. Andy had no way of knowing for sure but she thought they might be underground.
"Now," Usui knelt down beside her, "answer my questions."
Why should I? You just said you planned on killing me, Andy thought, but she decided to play along. The more he talked the more he revealed, even if he didn't notice it. She would just have to be careful she didn't do the same.
If he was planning to kill her the smart thing to do would have been to kill her before she woke up. But he didn't know just what Domyoji was capable of. And it's not like she was complaining.
"Why are you doing this?" She demanded, as if she didn't already know.
He raised an eyebrow, "I think the better question is; why are you doing this? Are you a cop?"
Time to see if he really could tell whether people were lying or not. "No! Of course not!"
He kicked her in the ribs, scumbag, "you're lying!"
Guess he could then, "Are. You. A. Cop? Answer me!"
What a dumbshit, if she'd said 'no' and was lying then the only remaining answer was 'yes.' Well, maybe she could lie by omission, time to see if that worked.
She glared at him, making an obvious show or reluctance, "I work for the police force yes."
He smiled, "there now, that wasn't so hard, was it?"
Apparently there were loopholes. It wasn't technically lying by omission as she was genuinely part of the police force. It wasn't her fault he hadn't asked her to specify what kind of police force.
"What's your name?" He demanded.
"Aki Arakaki," she lied.
He kicked her again, "try again!" Andy gritted her teeth, why was she doing this again? Right, keep him talking.
"What?! Can you psychically tell if I'm lying or something?" She challenged even though she was pretty sure by now he could.
"Basically yes," he admitted. Well that was easy. "It's a particular talent of mine."
"Judging by the fact that you run a drug ring and kick tied up women, I'm guessing that's your only talent," Andy sneered. She knew it probably wasn't her greatest idea to piss him off while pretending to be at his mercy but she had an ulterior motive, she wanted to know if there was anything else he could do. Someone had thrown her into that wall without touching her earlier and if it was him she wanted to know that before she tried escaping.
She was still pretty sure she could take him on if it was him but best always to be sure.
Plus, people didn't think clearly when they were angry.
Annoyance crossed his face briefly and Andy knew she'd at least partway succeeded, then he shrugged, "well I'm quite certain both running a drug ring and being able to tell if someone's lying are far more impressive than anything you're capable of." That's what he thought.
Andy sneered again, "why would I want to run a drug ring. I'm not a selfish, stupid rat like you."
He glowered.
"Who's really behind this? You aren't smart enough to come up with it on your own," she said.
Come on, tell me, she thought. She really wanted to get out of here. Based on his reactions he wasn't the one who telekinetically slammed her into the wall or whatever had happened. But if he wasn't, who was? She really wanted him to tell her without provoking him further. If he kicked her one more time Andy was sure she'd blow her cover by breaking free of the ropes and taking great pleasure in kicking him in the balls.
Okay, she decided, if he doesn't tell me right now I'm dragging him back to headquarters and they can get it out of him. If worse came to worse than Captain Munakata would be the one asking the question. And one did not simply just not tell the Blue King what she wanted to know. If she even needed to ask. Andy was pretty sure Munakata could read minds and those pretty amethyst eyes could see into your soul. She shuddered mentally, she adored the woman, looked up to her, and would happily die for her and her cause.
But Andy wasn't going to lie about it, Munakata scared the living daylights out of her.
Kings tended to have that effect on people simply by breathing. But Munakata more so than others.
Usui grabbed Andy's red hair and brought her face up to his, making her grit her teeth and fight the urge to burn off her bindings and punch him in the face, just a little longer, just a little longer, she told herself.
"I know what you're trying to do." Oh really? "But it's useless; the minute your partner finally finds you I'm killing you both. So there's no reason to tell you anything."
Great, this whole thing was a huge waste of time, Domyoji burnt off her bindings and punched him in the face.
She didn't knock him out but he did stagger back, clutching his cheekbone. Andy had made sure not to punch him in the mouth, couldn't talk with a broken jaw.
Andy got to her feet and kicked him in the side of the head, he went down like a rock, Scepter 4 training had taught her exactly how much force to exert and where to incapacitate someone without killing or permanently maiming them.
Andy wriggled her foot, that had hurt. Scepter 4 or no Scepter 4, kicking someone in the head in heels hurt.
Scepter 4 or no Scepter 4, kicking someone in the head hurt regardless of what shoes you were wearing!
Andy used Usui's belt to strap his hands together then she searched for her bag, she couldn't find it, damn!
Her phone had been in there! Well she was going to have to find some other way of contacting Akiyama once she was out of here. Oh well, if she really was underground like she thought she was then it probably wouldn't have worked anyway.
Andy picked up the gun and then heated the metal until melted beyond recognition and was hot to even her touch. Good riddance! She hated the damn things. She tossed it on the stone floor where it clattered and hissed against the cold.
Andy hoisted Usui onto her back, slipping his bound arms around her neck and swearing softly at the weight.
She was strong, due to being a clansman and one of the Blue Clan where everyone trained regularly, but she wasn't superwoman or anything. This guy was freaking heavy.
She walked over to the door and kicked it off its hinges, she couldn't use either of her hands and that had made a lot of noise, she prayed she'd get out of here before she ran into anyone else. Or if that wasn't possible, at least before she ran into someone who had more offensive abilities than being a living lie-detector.
Domyoji poked her head out of the door and looked first to the left and then to the right, the corridor stretched for a few meters in both directions, both halls ending in a nondescript white door. Shrugging mentally Andy went left.
"And she never showed, I've tried calling her but there's been no response," said Himori, trying to keep his frustration out of his voice, partly because it would do him no good and partly because there was no reason to snap at Benzai and the others, it wasn't their fault, it was his.
But he really wanted to be back out there searching for Andreana, not standing her filling in his co-workers who had already been debriefed!
But they were worried about her too and wanted to know what had really happened.
So Akiyama told them, he told them how, like an idiot he'd let her be the one who snuck into Katzuo Usui's office, yes, he was aware, they both had been, that it would be easier for her to talk her way out of being caught but they'd known there was a risk of her being watched anyway, he should have insisted on being the one to do it.
And then he'd left her there to see if he could find some stupid information. He should have waited. They should have left the stupid usb in the stupid freaking computer and then rendezvoused before they went to look for information; they could get the usb back later and even if they couldn't there was nothing that could be traced back to them or Scepter 4. To hell with the usb, to hell with it all! Information and proof was important, but not at the cost of his partner!
He never should have left her.
They split up again, in groups of two or three, before they went more than a couple of steps Benzai reached out and laid a slender hand on his shoulder, her thin fingers applying just the slightest amount of pressure.
"Himori," she used his first name, she didn't say anything else but there were years of rapport between them, he knew what she was trying to say, that this wasn't his fault, he'd had no way of knowing that something like this would happen.
But it felt like it was his fault, he hadn't known that Andy would be attacked on her way to meet him but he should have foreseen it. The reason they went to all of these elaborate schemes was in case they were really being watched, but when one of them had to sneak into a suspected drug runner and almost-certain Strain's office was when they should have stopped caring!
"Himori," Benzai said again, her usually serious tone sharper this time, he shook himself and looked over at her.
He caught her eye and nodded, she was right, whether it was his fault or not, nothing would be gained by brooding about it, she understood and let go, the pair of them moved off, they were searching the first level of the hotel, Hidaka and Goto had the level above that and the Lieutenant had the top level, Kamo, Fuse and some members who weren't in the special squad were searching the basement level which was as large as a whole floor at least. Akiyama, Benzai and the others above ground were just looking for anything that might be of use, Kamo, Enomoto and Fuse were actively hoping to find Domyoji. Himori was hoping that to.
He gritted his teeth, he wanted to be down there too, not just because of the guilt, worry and outright panic that was eating at him but because he was absolutely certain that they would find nothing. The only room that wasn't a suite on any of these floors were the reception area, Enomoto was staying there to go through the computer and Usui's office on the third floor. Akiyama didn't know what the Lieutenant expected them to find anywhere else, a list of Usui's accomplaces pinned to a wall on bright red paper with purple sparkles?!
But orders were orders and Akiyama would follow them, even if he didn't like them. But he had faith in Scepter 4. They'd find her, no matter what it took.
Damnit! This bastard's heavy! Where the hell am I? Andy grumbled mentally, she had barely enough time to finish the thought before an invisible blow knocked her against the wall, she hit with a thud and Usui, his arms around her neck putting pressure on her air supply, also hitting the wall, strangled her briefly.
Domyoji didn't curse out loud, she didn't have the air for that, instead she instinctively ducked, she slipped out of Usui's arms and did a sort of sideways roll across the floor, air whooshed past her and if she'd been standing where she was a second ago she'd have been slammed against the wall again. As it was only Usui's prone form hit the wall before collapsing floppily to the floor. Andy tried not to be too pleased about that with marginal success.
She glanced up and instantly recognized her attacker, the receptionist from Usui's and a man she didn't recognize stood holding the arms of another man she also didn't recognize, it was the receptionist, of all people, who had attacked her, Andy knew this because she raised a her free hand and sent another energy blast her way.
Domyoji activated her sanctum and kicked out, a trail of blue fire followed her kick, it met the wind-like force and the two cancelled each other out. Andy was quicker though and sent another blue fire ball towards them.
The man in the middle gripped the receptionist wind-lady's wrist in return and Andy's fire went straight through the three of them.
That was how they'd snuck up on her! The man had intangibility! Man, that was way cool!
This would make a good story. If she made it out of here.
Andy bolted for the next door, yes, she wanted to take Usui into custody but it wasn't worth fighting three Strains, one of whom was definitely Beta-class, another with intangibility and the third with unknown powers.
This time when the wind-force hit the blue fire Andy sent back at it the force of the two colliding knocked her to the ground. The two male Strains were running towards her but thanks to the first man's power the blast again passed harmlessly through them, Andy jumped up and made to run again but the second man turned tangible for a second and grabbed her wrist. Andy fell to the floor, conscious, but unable to move. No matter how hard she tried she could not so much as move her eyes. She was utterly trapped in her own body.
Fear and fury welled up in Andy in equal measure, she should never have stayed to talk to Usui, she should have left immediately, she never should have bothered to take him with her. These guys never should have been such assholes! So many 'should have's.'
"What do we do with her?" One of the men, the intangible one, who was holding Andy.
"Who cares? Kill her," said wind-lady coldly.
"Let's just get out of here," said the paralysing man, picking Usui, who was beginning to stir, up and undoing the belt around his wrists and slinging one of his arms around his shoulders.
"First things first," said wind-lady, God, how had they been fooled by her pleasant demeanour? She drew a knife from her belt, Andy tried to struggle but she was trapped more efficiently then if she'd been bound head to toe. Fear stuttered in her chest, she was going to die here, alone.
"You seem very wound up," Benzai commented.
"You aren't?" Himori asked shortly.
"Yes, I am, but not like you." Benzai paused, how did one phrase this, "what is she to you?"
Himori's black eyes met her pale brown ones, "she's the co-worker and trusted friend I will not let anything happen to," he vowed, his heart ached at the thought.
"Is that all?" Yujiro, who knew him better than anyone, asked.
Himori stopped; he thought about Andy, about her impish grin, the light in her green eyes that brightened up his entire day, the sense of security he felt around her, someone who he would protect with his life, who would always have his back. Who he trusted implicitly, more than a normal co-worker. Much more. "I don't know," he told Benzai truthfully.
Andy fought to keep her eyes open, that sadistic bitch, pardon Andy's French, hadn't even had the decency to kill her outright, they'd slit both her wrists and left her on the floor to die.
There was something warm and wet touching her cheek, dimly Andy realised it was her own blood but she couldn't work up the energy to care. Dimly she heard voices she thought one of them sounded like Fuse.
Hands grabbed her wrists and tried to stop the bleeding but Andy couldn't tell whom they belonged to, she tried to say something but her vision blackened and, again, she fainted.
Done! Tell me what you think guys. Hope you enjoyed. Bye!
