WEIß KREUZ
Bekämpfen Sie das Kreuz

Vier (Four)

Omi wiped sweat from his forehead, keeping it from dripping into his eyes. All he needed was blurry vision on top of everything else. One jerking move, one false cut, and -

And it was all over. Easing out a breath, Omi took the thin, blue wire between his clippers. No! He would not die like this, not here like this. And he would never allow the others to die, either.

Snap!

He heard Ken's hissing intake of breath even from the distance; it matched his own. Eyes round, Omi felt his body tense, fighting the urge to seek shelter, even as his mind knew it was impossible. He unconsciously let out a small squeak of a sound as his throat constricted. The numbers jumped. They flickered, but nothing happened. No explosion. And no stalling.

Suppressing the urge to consent defeat, Omi, his expression set in a firm, hard gaze, set back to work. Time wasn't up yet.

Ken growled a curse through his painfully ground teeth. This wasn't looking good for any of them. Why do we always do these things the bloody hard way? Come on, Omi!

He had faith in Bombay, but he also knew explosives were not his specialty; what he knew wasn't from experience. Suddenly, he heard the snap of a wire being clipped and sucked in his breath. But nothing happened. Not failure, not success.

We're not gonna make it… The realization surprised Ken. And angered him. It was anger about the situation, and about facing the end of his own life. He was scared; he could admit that. It wasn't easy to see your own demise coming, to wait for it. This wasn't for show or a rehearsal. It was real. If it happened, there would be no next time or tomorrow. They would really die. Like Kase, Akira, and all those men and women he had helped put in their graves.

Yes, he was scared and angry, but it was for Omi. For Aya and Yoji. He didn't want them to die! It wasn't any consolation he would go with them either. He always hoped, always wanted, to die alone. The others didn't deserve this, and he was afraid for them.

Ken began shifting his feet uncontrollably, one after the other. Then he started flexing his claws, nervous. His eyes were fixed on Omi, until he found the strain of watching the young boy hopelessly keep at it too painful. He turned away, feeling his mind whirling, panic clutching at his chest until he couldn't breathe. He closed his eyes. Dammit! And when he opened them, he saw Aya coming from the eastside of the building, cloaked in the impeding darkness.

Ken was ready to leap into action. "Aya?" Was he successful? Did he actually find a target somewhere in all this mess? He was too much in a panic to notice how slowly Aya seemed to be moving, how precise his footfalls were. "We have to get Omi out of there! There's -"

He recoiled backwards a step. A surprised gasp escaped his lips as a sudden spark of lightning licked the rolling clouds above, illuminating the earth below for a moment. In that moment, Ken saw Aya quite clearly, and also the shapes of four other men behind him. Who in the hell? He could see Aya was weaponless, but even more disturbing, he saw Aya's own katana in the enemy's hand.

"Well, well, well," snickered a slightly nasal-sounding voice, happily ferocious. "Isn't this quite a predicament?"

"It seems we've caught you red-handed," said another, a confident baritone voice that was smooth as silk.

The other two present said nothing, and they didn't have to for Ken to know immediately who they were. Schwarz. His lip curled back from his teeth in a very predator-like way as he growled, "You?" He couldn't believe they had fallen into a trap set by these damnable guys!

"So you're into hangings now, eh?" Schuldig chuckled, thoroughly amused.

Ken had no clue what Schwarz was talking about, and he noticed Aya's eyes also narrow in confusion. But suddenly, the current situation didn't matter anymore. What mattered now was that he was finally face to face once again with Schwarz. Ken had been waiting for this moment.

He unsheathed his claws with a growl, a tiger ready to kill, when a word of warning stopped him in his tracks.

"I wouldn't." Crawford grinned at him, and Ken fell back. They had Aya in a very dangerous position, he realized. Shit! What Crawford said next made Ken realize, too, that whatever he did made no difference. "I thought you might like to watch your friend die first." He pulled his arm back, ready to strike Aya down where he stood.

"AYA!" Ken sprung forward, knowing he'd never make it.

It was the end, for all of them.

In an instant, the blade's tip drove inward. And in that same instant Ken watched, stunned, as the katana was suddenly entangled in fine wire and yanked from Crawford's grasp, who let out a constrained cry as the garrote wire also tore through the skin of his hand. The other Schwarz were even more startled than Ken; they all braced themselves against the sudden show of the unseen attacker.

"Yoji!" Ken cried out in relief at the timely appearance of Balinese.

Yoji grinned his usual smirk, wire in hand, as he shook his head at Siberian. "For Pete's sake," he said jokingly. "Can't you guys do anything right without me?" The katana landed inches from his feet with a metallic clatter.

Schuldig let out a curse. "I knew we forgot one!" he growled evilly.

"Indeed!" Suddenly, Aya rounded on the tall German, slugging him full in the jaw, sending Schuldig sprawling.

Aya then turned to Yoji for his blade, but didn't have the chance to receive it as Crawford stepped in. The American wrenched his arm around at an awkward angle and landed a harsh blow into his stomach. Yoji and Ken watched as Aya doubled over, but quickly, as usual, regained himself. The fight had begun in earnest.

Aya's sword in Yoji's inexperienced hands was little match for the blood-thirsty Farfarello and his multitude of daggers and knives, which seemed to magically appear in his hands at any given moment. Yoji was also at a loss, his garrote wire still uncoiled and loose. Ken moved in to help Aya, who was fiercely engaged in a battle with both Schuldig and Crawford. But he was stopped when he caught sight of the small, lithe form of the boy-Schwarz, alone, unarmed. Nagi Naoe blinked at him, unmoved. Then, he held out his hand, palm out, and struck.

The heaven's shook with thunder as Ken felt an indescribable force take hold of him, keeping any of his body from responding, held him frozen. Then it hurled him back against the building with such incredible force Ken thought his skull and spine would both shattered. The building shook with the impact, wood splintering, and Nagi dropped his arm.

Ken fell to the ground in a painful heap. He fought off waves of both nausea and darkness, fighting to keep from falling into unconsciousness. He couldn't find air, and heaving it in was painful. He felt the urge to cough and gag, but he hadn't the air to do it. His lungs burned, his eyes stung. It was an awful feeling. It hurt! Groaning slightly, Ken managed to at least make it onto his hands and knees. He thought he heard someone, from far away, call his name. His head was swimming.

"Ken-kun? Ken!"

Omi? Then he remembered the bomb. He pulled himself up a bit more, and looked into the assistant's room beyond. Omi was on his feet, a fan of darts in his hand. He knew what was happening, and he wanted to help fight.

"Omi," Ken murmured. He sucked in air for more words, despite the pain. "Do - whatever you can."

"But if it goes off -"

Ken growled darkly, sincerely, "Then we'll take these fucking bastards with us!"

Inside, Omi closed his eyes for a moment. That was it then. Their fate had already been decided. So be it, he thought grimly. Then, opening his large, liquid eyes, Omi dragged his goggles down over his eyes and switched them on with determination. If he was going to die, then he'd die helping the others. They would all die fighting.

For a moment, Omi thought about simply triggering the bomb. All he'd have to do was walk into the other room. Easy. But something deep in his heart, the human instinct of survival, and hope, made him decide against that. If there was even a chance... He'd do it, as always, the hard way. Heaving one strong breath in, and easing it out, Omi stepped lightly out of the room. One step at a time, over and under, he could do it. He could make it through the room, without tripping the device. Please!

Yoji dropped to one knee as Farfarello drove twin blades down; he caught them, tips inches from his bloodied face, on the edge of Aya's sword, which he held strongly, if somewhat awkwardly. Lightning lit the deranged Schwarz's single eye like a demonic cat. Farfarello grinned.

He's not gonna beat me, Yoji swore. Then, he grinned back at him. Rolling backwards, Yoji quickly grabbed Farfarello by one wrist, feeling the blade of one dagger slip away, while the other tore down. He moved his head just enough to avoid being cut, but he felt it rip through his hair, grazing his ear. He instantly brought a leg up, catching the Schwarz in the gut and hurling him over, sending him sailing into the ground. Slightly feeling the ebbing pain, Yoji swiftly gained his feet and lashed out.

The katana caught Farfarello on the side, slicing through cloth and bandages, to skin and muscles. Farfarello stood to his feet, only somewhat hunched over the bleeding wound in his side. He titled his head as if amused, and, while his eye never left the Weiß member, he pulled one hand over the slice, then drug his own blood across his lips with a smile. Yoji knew he was in for trouble with this one. And Aya needed his blade, having a hell of a time defending himself against two Schwarz, one who could foresee an attack, the other fast enough to dodge it.

Yoji shook his head. "Well then," he said breathlessly. Taking up Aya's blade, he cut the uncoiled wire off, heard the whir and snap as the remaining locked into place in his wrist device, and prepared to fight back the way he knew how.

Aya felt the sharp kick against his lower back as it knocked him into the dirt. His highly trained mind continued to work even while being beaten down. Aya rolled to his side to avoid Schuldig's well aimed boot to his ribs and then got his feet under him to continue fighting - still pondering what happened before the fight.

Ken had tried to warn him of something, but he hadn't been able to get the words out before the battle had commenced. It was a trap, that he knew. But Aya also knew there was something else entirely wrong with this scenario.

Roughly, Aya smacked Schuldig's fist away before it struck him square in the face, and caught the red headed Schwarz by a fistful of his hair, simultaneously bringing the German's head down and his own knee up to meet. Aya paid no heed to the jarring impact in his kneecap, but only hoping he broke Schuldig's nose.

Schuldig fell back, catching himself slightly. He shook only vaguely as he leaned into one knee, wiping blood from his nose, which had not been shattered, as he glared up at Aya. Head reeling, a buzz filling his ears, the Schwarz mind reader found the strength - and gall - to give his opponent a devilish, crooked grin.

It was then that Aya heard the click of a safety being unlocked from a semi-automatic gun. Crawford was done playing games.

Then, Aya's katana plunged blade first into the ground at his feet where he could instantly grasp the hilt. All hell was about to break loose.

Ken used the wall to brace his back as he tried to stand, but then he heard the soft tread, and saw the small booted foot step up before him. Panting, Ken lifted his gaze to glare at Nagi, who's eyes were void and empty. He stood tall and straight, his voice, when he finally spoke, was just as listless and hollow as his eyes.

"It hurts," he said softly, blinking once elegantly. "I know." He raised a hand again. "I'll make it end."

Ken made no response at all. But in his mind, he thought, just briefly, that this was the boy's way of being kind. He felt the first droplet of rain against his cheek, cold and tingling; he wondered if they'd all be around to see the storm's true shower. Outwardly, Ken hid his anguish and fear; inwardly, he prepared for the blow, if he could. But it was not delivered as a shower of darts rained down on the young Schwarz, who took two in his outstretched arm. He fell back with the softest cry, like a wounded kitten, and Ken turned to see Omi, awkwardly standing amid the room inside, slightly bent and leaning, arm still dropped from his precision throw.

As if seeing Omi made all his fears and pain subside, Ken lurched to his feet, numb to whatever sensation washed over him at his sudden movement. "Come on, just a few more steps!" he encouraged, leaning into the doorframe for support. Can this be for real? Do we still have a chance?

Omi tried to smile, but lost it as he moved, none too gracefully, even with his skinny frame, over another laser trigger. His eyes, tinted green by the goggles, were hard fixed on every inch where he placed one single foot. Thunder roared just as Omi neared the doorway, his arm outstretched for balance. Ken, driven, grabbed that arm and half pulled and half lifted the boy-Weiss, yanking him up and over, clear of the threat. But his balance was off-set by the extra weight, and they both toppled backwards against the ground. Ken took the brunt of the impact, Omi clutched securely against his chest. Still, they were safe. Sort of.

"Ken-kun," Omi said, rushed, defeated. "Sorry - I couldn't stop it - !"

Ken barely managed a quick, less-than-reassuring smile before he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. With a quick cry of, "Omi!" Ken pushed the boy away from him and rolled the opposite direction just as the thin blade of Farfarello drove deep into the dirt between them.

Omi, flat on his stomach, lifted his gaze to look at the assailant, who stood with head cocked deeply to one side. Momentarily, all he saw was the muscular, fit silhouette of someone who had short cropped hair as lightning again split the sky behind him. When it cleared, he saw the white skin, silver hair and eye patch of the one who killed Ouka, all that time ago. A time still fresh in his mind.

Omi suddenly became fierce as he found his feet, crossbow snapping out.

Ken, claws extended, was ready to help Omi, when out of nowhere he felt the presence of someone behind him. The fighting became a clear free-for-all as Schuldig stepped behind Ken, sandwiched in by Yoji, who shot his wire out perfectly. But Schuldig was expecting it.

Mindless of the pain, he caught the wire around his hand, wound it about his own wrist, and pulled out more line. Schuldig threw the garrote wire over Ken's head, catching him by the throat. Ken felt the wire dig into his skin, not knowing fully what had just happened as he was drug backwards, almost off his feet.

Yoji was dumbfounded. "Ken!" The force of Schuldig strangling Ken was pulling Yoji down, and for a second, the shade-wearing Weiß thought it was such a stupid way to be killed off.

Then Aya appeared out of nowhere, blade slicing down and cutting clean the wire. Yoji, at a loss, fell to his knees, but Ken was still in trouble. And soon they found a new opponent as Nagi stepped before them, blood staining the sleeve of his shirt, running down his hand.

Carelessly, Nagi reached out a hand, and Aya and Yoji both braced themselves, knees bending slightly, as they awaited the strange boy's attack. Instead, Nagi held out his hand and gracefully opened his fingers. Two of Omi's darts, the ones Nagi had pulled from his own arm, fell from his grasp. No emotions, no expression - yet it was still a challenge. And Aya was one to readily accept it.

Aya charged him, but Nagi was ready.

Omi's arrow found its mark. Unfortunately, that mark could not feel the stabbing pain of it plunging into his shoulder. Farfarello reached out to grab at him, but Omi put all his might into one blow, swinging his crossbow and smashing it into Farfarello's head, sending him sprawling.

Panting, Omi saw the counter of the bomb inside the building, and his heart sunk. Eight minutes. He turned to Weiß.

"Guys!" he cried. Everyone was instantly alerted by his foreboding, echoing voice. Something was definitely wrong. Thunder rolled. "Hurry!"

Schuldig cursed. The boy's voice rang in his ears, even as his thoughts ran through his mind. Now, he too, knew the danger involved. Defeated by the sudden astounding turn of events, Schuldig put a booted toe against Ken's back and pushed, sending him face forward, gasping, to the ground. He swiftly turned to Nagi, who had thrown Aya backwards with one solitary thought.

"So much for a fun reunion," Schuldig said, without amusement, through his breath. He motioned to Nagi that it was time to split; the boy followed the other without comment.

Yoji was helping Ken to his feet, getting the wire off from around his neck, when he saw Schuldig and Nagi leaving. "Shit!" he spat angrily. "I'm not letting them get away this time!"

"Yoji -" Ken started, but was choked off by Yoji's brutal tugging to regain his garrote while already taking off for his car. Ken was half-forced to follow him for fear of being strangled again. Winding the rest of the wire from around his head, Ken ran after Yoji. In the distance, around the other side of the building and under the roiling thunderheads, his own feet pounding against the gravel, Ken could hear the resonant humming of a car's engine.

They tore back the way they'd come, hell bent to keep Schwarz from leaving the premises. As he and Yoji, who was entirely too caught up in the moment, sprung into the open top of Yoji's sleek sports car, Ken asked him, "What about the others?"

Before Ken had even landed into the seat, Yoji had the car's ignition running and kicked it into gear. "Aya will take care of everything." The response was so determined and genuine, Ken had a hard time disbelieving it. Still, he felt too much like they were running away.

But to Yoji, they were trying to keep Schwarz from running off. If the place were to blow up, then Yoji would be damned if Weiß would go alone. And to even take one or two Schwarz with them was unacceptable. If they were to die that night, they would all go to hell together.

Omi watched as Yoji and Ken followed suit after Schuldig and Nagi. Then his gaze snapped over to Aya, who was slowly gaining his feet, using his sword for support. And then his eyes focused on Crawford, gun in hand, coming up behind him. "Aya-kun!"

Unexpectedly, Omi was drug off his feet by a pair of hands and a vice-like grip on his ankle. He hit the ground hard, then rolled over to look Farfarello in the eye. The member of Schwarz wasn't about to let him get away. Omi flung a dart into his nimble fingers. Even if he died at that very moment, he'd die happy to see his dart tear into the only eye that bastard had left!

Ken gingerly put a hand to his raw, bleeding neck as Yoji put pedal to the metal, sending the car speeding forward, churning dust and pebbles up in its wake. Ken had to put a hand on the dashboard to keep from slamming his head into it as Yoji sent the car reeling onward. They sped around the building to the main entrance. Ken jerked, feeling slightly agog at Yoji's careening about. He suppressed the urge to bring his arms up defensively. It's okay. Yoji knows what he's doing.

Then the car jumped and shattered through the remains of the gate. Despite his best effort, Ken let out a cry as the ruined chain link and wire mesh fell down all around them. Yoji knows what he's doing, he reminded himself again. It wasn't much of a comfort as Yoji slammed on the breaks, and both of them flung forwards, then instantly back. The car was stopped.

Not too far in front of them, Schuldig's classy, red car waited for them. They were waiting for them!

Inside, Schuldig was grinning like a rabid panther, his eyes glowing as he waited. This would prove to be fun, indeed.

In the passenger's seat beside him, Nagi stared gravely out the windshield, sizing up their opponent's car. He didn't have to be a mind reader to know what Schuldig was going to do. The Weiß car had no roof, no head support. It would crumble under Schuldig's car like tin foil. If they didn't drive the car out of the way, they'd both be shattered along with their vehicle.

Schuldig chuckled deep in his throat, and shifted the gears. Weiß didn't move. Nagi thought coldly how foolish they were, saying silently to them, Idiots. This was their end.

"Take this." Without turning, Schuldig tossed Nagi a gun with a fresh clip inserted.

The boy looked down at his lap where the heavy object had landed, gazing on the automatic with a disgusted look. Disdainfully he said to the German, "I don't need it."

All Schuldig did in response was widened his grin with a hoarse chuckle. He had another in its holster under his jacket. This was his moment, and he'd be damned if he'd let any of Weiß survive this night. Any way he could, he'd see them all dead! He griped the wheel of his car, listening to the rolling of the engine. Now his grin became a true smile of pleasure.

Yoji, his expression dark, stared at the other car for a moment, and Ken knew exactly what he was thinking. "Yoji," he said warningly. But it was too late. The Yoji's mind was made up as he pumped the gas, forcing the engine to grind smoothly. Ken's eyes widened slightly. "Yoji, you can't -"

"I'm not letting them get away."

"You're not playing chicken with that car!"

Yoji ignored him, flinging the car into gear. Ken jumped for his seatbelt. Oh lord!

003... 002... 001... 000.

The explosives went off with tremendous power, such that it sent the remaining building imploding in on itself, what remaining windows left shattering to ruins, showering out like shards of deadly rain. As Omi had predicted, it triggered two other bombs set nearby in the main building. Fires shot towards the sky, as if the man-made device were trying to challenge the rain storm sent in by the heavens. The blaze erupted into clouds above, seen from all parts of the city.

Yoji slammed on the gas just as the explosion racked the world around them, and Schuldig shot his car forward a second later. Both drivers were oblivious to the blast, eyes fixed on each other. Nagi, too, seemed not to mind the eardrum-shattering effect the bomb had, but Ken crumbled in on himself at that moment, totally not expecting the device to go off. He turned to view the fiery effect, the orange glow cast against his face, reflecting in his eyes; he could feel the heat of the fires even from inside the car. Half the massive, ruined building was alit, burning debris sailing, slamming down around the speeding cars. Eyes round and stinging, Ken could only think about the others.

Omi... Aya… He closed his eyes for a moment, sadly. Was this how it was meant to end?

Then the cry of burning rubber and speeding cars thrummed in his ears, the sounds of the explosion making his mind whir, and Ken was forced back into the reality of it all as both cars drew near. Ken saw the red car coming closer, and despite any real life accounts on the news about near death experiences, things did not go in slow motion, nor did Ken see any of his life flash before his eyes. It was coming in a whirlwind. He made an angry sound. You asshole, Yoji!

It was suddenly as if the other member of Weiß had heard his friend's thoughts, felt his fear and torment. Yoji's hands tensed on the wheel, and despite all his previous desires to feel his car smash into the other, he suddenly was struck with the full realization of what he was about to do - and he also realized Ken was sitting anxiously beside him. Fuck! Yoji thought; Schuldig read it. As the cars were about to collide, Yoji spun the wheel hard. The tires squealed as if in agony.

And Schuldig smiled, brushing against Yoji's mind an instant before he acted. He knew Yoji wouldn't go through with it, he would turn away. And that's what the German was waiting for. Reading the Weiß's mind, Schuldig calculated his own actions to match; and flung his car towards Yoji's, so that the collision would still be inevitable.

They crashed! Schuldig's red car slid into the other, slamming into the passenger's side as Yoji's car spun. In a reeling wreckage, both cars smashed out of control into the wall of one of the remaining buildings. It was a twisted heap of metal, one tire flying away; it came to rest at all awkward angles. Everyone involved was still alive - and they acted upon the moment.

Schuldig leaped from the remains of his car, kicking the bent door out. Blood trickled down his face from a gash on his head, but otherwise he was unharmed, besides being bruised and whip lashed. He went to the driver's side of the other car, gun ready - he was ready to fire at any signs of life from Weiß. He aimed.

And came face to face with Yoji, a gun now in the Weiß member's hand as well. They aimed at each other...

Right after the cars had collided, the impact of careening into the building stopping their chaotic spinning, Ken fell from his side of the car, the door twisted completely off. Schuldig's car had taken them in the side he was in, and Ken hadn't even known what had happened when he felt the crushed metal bend inward. All he felt was the pain against his side as they hit. Blood ran from a wound on his face, his body was throbbing and numb. Ken hit the ground, feeling the gravel against his cheek. All his senses were muddled. He had no thoughts; he was numbed to the pain. He wondered if he was dying.

As he lay there, he heard the thunder, and the clouds parted overhead as the rain finally began to fall, slowly at first, but giving way to a pounding shower. Each splatter of water that struck him stung, and Ken realized, almost happily, that he could feel it. I'm not dead? Then he cursed Yoji.

Of a sudden, he saw the boy of Schwarz standing above him, coming from the wreckage completely unscathed. Nagi, illuminated by the orange glow of the fires burning in the main building behind them, stood there for a moment, unheeded by anything. Then, almost pitifully, he raised his arm, and Ken was now staring down the barrel of the gun in the boy's hand.

Neither Weiß nor Schwarz pulled the trigger in that first moment. Schuldig laughed at the absurdity of it all, then he looked Yoji full in the eyes, dark and vile. "You're too soft, Weiß!" he declared.

And pulled back the trigger.

CLICK!

Schuldig made a surprised sound, eyes full of shock as his gun didn't go off. He had no rounds. He gave a disgusted, very angry growl as the rain started to fall.

"Too bad!" Yoji grinned, and fired - but with the ability to move with the speed of a cheetah, Schuldig was out of the way before Yoji squeezed the trigger. He appeared, as if he had teleported there, on the wreckage behind him, atop the remains of Yoji's car, balanced.

Yoji suddenly turned to get another shot off, but was met by Schuldig's boot in his face. He toppled backwards, and it was then that the black car sped from the fires.

Nagi's eyes were large and glistening as he stared down at Ken's crumbled, bleeding form. The Weiß member stared up at him, squinting at him against the loudly falling rain, wet and in pain. It felt strange to be standing there in the rain with an amazing fire burning behind the car wreck, aiming a gun at a Weiß. The world around him was chaotic and deafening, but Nagi was thinking clearly.

The gun was heavy and awkward in his hand. Actually, he had never fired and killed anyone before. He didn't know if he liked the thought of it. His shabby, dark brown hair clung to his face as rainwater trickled down his cheeks like tears.

And Nagi realized he didn't want to do it. He relaxed his arm a bit.

But Schuldig would be mad at him if he didn't, no doubt even offended. And it would be a quick way to finish off Weiß. He wouldn't even feel it, and then it would be over.

Nagi made up his mind, and straightened his arm, his finger pressing back on the trigger.

Ken flinched, but jumped in surprise at the strange thud! sound that followed. It wasn't the shattering sound of a gun going off, but the sound of something blunt meeting someone's body. And he watched as Nagi's entire frame jerked and tensed, his back arching as his head was smashed forward, cracked in the back of the head by the hilt of a katana. He let out a strangled, pained sound before he sank to his knees. He fell, unconscious, into the puddles and gravel beside Ken. Behind him, sword in hand, stood...

"Aya?"

Schuldig cursed as the passenger's side door of the black car was flung open, waiting for him. With profound profanity, he got into Crawford's car and, as he slammed the door shut, it raced off into the night, swallowed up by the heavy rains of the storm.

Watching helplessly, Yoji painfully stood to his feet, testing his poor jaw and gingerly touching the bruise already forming on his cheek from the kick he took. He spat out a curse at the retreating car. They had gotten away! And he was still alive. Dammit!

Slowly, he turned to see if Ken had made it out as well, and he wasn't surprised at all to see Aya helping Ken to his feet. Yoji let out a whistling sigh.

"What the hell happened?" he wondered aloud.

He stood there, watching the fires rage and viewing the remaining wreckage of the abandoned Taro Minor warehouse and the two cars - his car! How did that bastard know I'd turn away? He growled low in his throat in rage, but the confusion soon washed it away. A bomb, a car collision - not the typical day's work.

Then he heard Ken ask, hoarse and fearful, "Omi? Where's Omi?"

Yoji turned to look sadly at Aya, not certain if he wanted to hear the answer. Ken, supported by Aya and leaning heavily into the redhead's arm, looked up into the depths of those violet eyes, his heart pounding in his ears. Aya didn't make eye contact with either one of them. Instead, his eyes, flickering with the shadows and light of the flames, stared into the rain and darkness, caught on the spot where the Schwarz car had disappeared.

Ken understood then. He stared into the dark and thundering showers, and angrily, he pushed roughly away from Aya. He wavered on his feet, and when Aya tried to help, he motioned hard with one hand, refusing his friend's arm. "I can walk," he rumbled, even though he wasn't so sure he could. He was weak, crumpled over his middle, arm around his side, still throbbing from the impact of the collision.

He staggered, leaning into the wreckage of Yoji's car, to where the Schwarz member had fallen. Aya and Yoji watched him, their expressions grave and bewildered. Ken dropped to his knees beside the still boy, kneeling in the rain and fresh mud. He looked over the small body of Nagi on the ground, their enemy now a prison of theirs, but all he could think about was Omi.

Schuldig swore again, trying to wipe the blood from his face but only succeeding in smearing it on his skin. He turned to Crawford, whose black hair was dampened by both blood and rain. "Only a little bit of the future, eh?" he said with an angry sarcasm.

Crawford turned to give him the most evil look, and Schuldig realized that the American was seething, perhaps even more angry than himself. Behind the glasses, which had miraculously survived the battle, his eyes were full of a pulsing rage, full of a dark fire that was burning out of control. He had been right about Weiß, but he had no inkling of what the hell had just happened at the warehouse. What was supposed to be their revenge had turned into a mysterious defeat, and Crawford was fuming because he hadn't known. He hadn't seen any of it, and he wanted explanations.

Schuldig tore his eyes away from Crawford's hard glare and winced as he rubbed the back of his neck. He started preening over his hand, torn and bloody, from where he had caught that one bastard's wire, and cursed himself, and his luck; he had nearly killed that Hidaka one! But hell, he wouldn't be able to use his hand in a good while! Schwarz was in a sorry shape. Then it hit him.

"Nagi is-?"

"I assume," said the American, whose voice, however, remained clear and smooth, "he's in the care of Weiß."

"Heh?" Schuldig arched a brow as he turned to look at their leader. Then he nodded. "That little chibi can withstand anything, even a car accident or building blowing up. I don't remember seeing him get out of my car, but-" He pressed a hand to his head, trying to think back, though it was all a blur, everything still too raw. "But still, a sword to the heart or throat gutted by wire will kill him. You think Weiß will take him home like a lost puppy?"

Crawford laughed then, his deep, throaty chortle full of a wickedness and mirth that Schuldig didn't quite understand. He said in response, "What would you do in that situation?"

Schuldig cocked his head in thought, and winced again. "Damn." He sighed, sore and in pain, but finally replied, "Make a good hostage. Could even torture some valuable information outta him."

"Indeed."

Schuldig caught the strange, all-knowing tone in Crawford's voice, and he eyed the American in confusion. Then he heard Farfarello hiss in the backseat, and Schuldig looked over his shoulder. His eyes widened.

There, bleeding from a wound on his side, sat the Irishman, still alert and kicking. And he was crooning over the little Weiß brat, who laid in an unconscious pile beside him. Farfarello was staring at the boy wickedly, playing with one of Omi's darts between his fingers. He said to no one in particular, "We've swapped members for a night." His teeth were suddenly bared in a cruel smile.

Schuldig, not fully understanding what in God's name had just happened to them on that night, turned back around to watch the windshield wipers work at the heavily falling rain. He smiled. So they had a Weiß member in their possession? They were going home with the Kewpie doll as a prize. What should we do with it?