In Pathos

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Chapter 7

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Just as promised, they did come the following night. All four of them. And judging by Yuusei's constant fidgeting, Ren hadn't told them yet of her decision. Kyoko glanced at the lawyer, wondering why he hadn't, but it seemed like he was intent on keeping that polite indifferent mask that he usually wore.

Hmmm, doesn't really matter, Kyoko decided as she prepared to sit down. Her bottom had barely grazed the couch when Yuusei suddenly shot up, bouncing anxiously on the balls of his feet.

"So, what's it gonna be?"

The eager young man rushed to get the words out of his mouth, the question sounding like a single word of an alien dialect.

"I'll do it," Kyoko replied quietly.

After hearing this, the twins high-fived each other, and Hikaru let out a very audible sigh of relief. Only Ren remained unaffected, still wearing the smile that appeared winsome to everyone. Well, except to Kyoko, who found it deeply unsettling.

The young woman admitted to herself that she could understand why Ren Tsuruga wasn't overly happy with the recent turn of events. He'd made it perfectly clear yesterday that he didn't like the idea of her being put in a dangerous situation. But she was sticking to her guns on this one. This was something she had, no needed, to do.

She focused her attention back to the trio who were still celebrating. She cleared her throat loudly, and they immediately stopped the ruckus they were making.

"I suppose you'd finally tell me what I have to do exactly?"

Instead of answering, Hikaru reached inside his coat pocket and took out two pieces of paper. He unfolded the papers, smoothed them down, and pushed them across the table towards Kyoko.

Intrigued, she glanced down and immediately, she saw the initials "V.G." in bold. She scanned the documents quickly and turned a questioning gaze at the auburn-haired detective.

"German mob?"

The three Ishibashis nodded in assent, while Ren remained quiet beside her, his smile getting wider and noticeably more put on.

Kyoko decided to ignore the handsome lawyer and continued asking the other three members of the merry little band. "It says here that they probably started operations four years ago?" The three nod as one. "And there has been no identified high-ranking member of the group?" Another series of nods. "No cases have been filed? No confirmed base of operations?" Kyoko's voice had risen an octave higher with each question, all the while the gentlemen she had been conversing with had been continuously responding like a set of dashboard bobbleheads.

The young woman closed her eyes for a second. This can't be happening. Crime. Uncertainty. Danger. It seems like everything she hated was becoming part of this… this thing that she had agreed to.

Too late to back out now, she finally decided. Besides, her need to take part in the operation still outweighed all the doubts she was having. She had to prove that she could stand on her own two legs. She wanted to be able to craft a different life that would be able to eclipse the past two decades. She would do this.

Kyoko opened her eyes and looked directly at Hikaru. "You said that we had a very short time to prepare. Is it because something big's coming up?"

"Yeah," he replied, amazement lacing his voice. He was surprised that Kyoko was able to deduce that fact from the very little information that they'd given her so far. "We got a tip from a reliable source within the organization. There's going to be a gathering next week and the top bosses of V.G. would be there."

"Apparently."

Kyoko turned to look at Ren who now had a frown marring his handsome features. His voice was very serious and his words deliberate when he spoke. "This reliable source that you have. I still don't trust him."

"Or her." It was Yuusei who piped up.

"My point exactly," Ren answered without missing a beat. "We don't have enough information on this person. There are just too many variables unaccounted for."

"But this is our only chance," the eldest Ishibashi shot back. "The leads that he," Hikaru held a hand up to stop his youngest brother who was just about to interrupt, "or she, it, whatever, has given have never been wrong. And in case this is just wrong information, we haven't really got anything to lose."

Ren couldn't really argue with that. What the young detective said was true. It was a long shot, yes, but if everything goes according to plan, they could just have a chance at taking down one of the most secretive and most dangerous syndicates in recent years.

If everything goes according to plan.

He glanced down beside him, azure orbs locking with brilliant gold.

Hikaru was mistaken. If something went wrong, Ren would lose everything.

For whatever reason, Kyoko couldn't break away from Ren's intense gaze. He stared deep into her eyes, as if searching for an answer to a question that only he knew of.

After a good minute or so, and with a last look of resignation directed at her, the lawyer looked away and addressed the other men in the room.

"I suppose we'll go on ahead as we discussed before?"

It was Hikaru who once again answered for the three, glad that whatever weird moment that transpired between the Ren and Kyoko was finally over. There was only so much silent communication he could see before feeling uncomfortable.

"Y-yeah. The infiltration will commence as planned."

Infiltration. Kyoko felt unnerved by the word. It sounded so… invasive. She never thought that it was going to be a walk in the park, but now, things were starting to sound real serious.

She shifted her attention back to the conversation going on between the men, catching Shinichi as he was about finished talking.

"… absolutely no communication."

"Did I hear that right? I'm not allowed to talk to you guys?"

"Well," Yuusei replied, "at least until you get off the boat."

"Uh… what boat?"

"Stop. STOP!" Shinichi's voice reverberated through the room's walls, effectively halting the increasingly confusing exchange. "Let me finish talking. And you," he poked his index finger repeatedly onto his tactless twin's chest, punctuating every word with a jab, "Don't. Go. Jumping. Ahead. Of. The. Story. You're giving people crazy-ass ideas."

"What's this about a boat?" Kyoko cast a suspicious glance at Shinichi. Last thing she wanted was to be told that she was going to pose as some immigrant and get illegally smuggled onto a boat.

"It's not a boat. Stop calling it a boat." He let out an exasperated sigh before glancing back at his younger brother. "This is all your fault, you moron."

Yuusei huffed indignantly. "Who are you to call me a moron?"

Kyoko could see the tension between the twins could rapidly escalate into a full-blown fistfight. But before she could say or do anything, a deep voice carried over the din.

"Argue later. We have more pressing matters on hand."

Shinichi and Yuusei let go of their hold on each other, suitably chastised. Ren was right, now wasn't the time to fight amongst themselves.

After a few quick words of apology, Shinichi continued with laying out the plan, which appeared pretty straightforward to Kyoko. She'd be in and out. All she had to do was listen and do a little poking around.

Sounds simple enough.

I've just reread this story and all I can say is… the first chapter really and truly sucks. Must do a rewrite.