7. Rescue Part III (War zone)
While all was silent in the solitary confinement wing, the main office was a scene from a war movie. Reminiscent of 'Custer's Last Stand', the hopelessly outnumbered guards fought desperately against the hordes of prisoners, eager for sweet freedom.
The sound of gunfire rung through the air long after the guns were fired. Groans of agony erupted from the wounded on both sides.
A small pocket of guards had gathered outside. They had climbed up to one of the watchtowers, ensuring their safety, until the prisoners hijacked weapons.
The ancient man with a beard down to his feet regarded the riot. "Shameful." He muttered, his eyes barely open to witness the carnage. "We let our guard down and the inmates overpower us. We must take control of the situation." He turned to the others crowding around him. "Find the ones responsible for breaking out first. They were the ones who shut off the power and released their brethren. I want their heads!"
Ukitake gasped and looked away.
"Problem, Ukitake?" The withered old man asked.
Ukitake stammered and the words failed to reach his mouth.
"The only prisoners not confined to their cells were Rukia Kuchiki and Ichigo Kurosaki. Rukia was seen with Byakuya before he was killed, she must be the one who started this!" Stated Nanao.
"Very well. Find them and return with their corpses! We shall quell this rebellion before they escape. And I want these walls manned! Make sure we can see the whole perimeter!" The old man flicked his wrist and the guards dispersed, all chanting. "Yes Mr Genryusai, sir!"
Ukitake remained behind. "Sir, I cannot do this."
Genryusai turned on his subordinate and scowled. "A rebellion among my own men? DO you want these criminals to be set free? Do you want them to rape, pillage and murder every citizen in town?"
Ukitake lowered his gaze and sighed. "No sir..."
"If you disobey my orders, I shall make sure that you can meet Byakuya in the afterlife!"
Ukitake backed away and then ran off.
Genryusai slammed his cane down on the ground. "Damn you Urahara! This was not part of the deal!"
*****
Ichigo and Rukia passed through a thick steel door and were assaulted by a wave of noise. Explosions, screams, roars, grunts and any other sound they could think of.
Fire swept into the hallway in front of them and they veered off to the left. Ichigo paused and looked around.
"I recognise this area. We are close to Byakuya's office! We can get his sword and fight our way out!" Ichigo beamed, excitement and adrenaline coursing through his veins. Rukia was less stimulated, fear creeping into her mind.
Ichigo ran to the office and scanned the area for the glimmering blade. He found it, but it was dirty and crusted with dry blood. Ichigo found the scabbard and attached it to his waist. The sword slid in with ease. Rukia peered out into the hall and retreated.
"What?" Ichigo asked, his hand instinctively drifting to the katana.
"Guards! Coming this way!" She whispered.
Ichigo ran to her side and looked out. Sure enough, two guards were approaching their hide-out. Ichigo stepped back and waited.
The footsteps were only a metre away now.
Ichigo tensed and drove the blade out into the hallway. A heavy thud and shocked gasp proved that Ichigo had done the task right. Ichigo pushed Rukia aside and rolled away himself, taking cover behind a desk.
The infuriated guard roared and shot into the wooden desk, the bullets passing through with ease, some penetrating the other side. Ichigo darted to the left, behind a cupboard. The guard followed, getting too close for Ichigo to run for it. Ichigo's mind raced and he found a solution. With a grunt of effort, he heaved and the cupboard fell down on the guard.
Ichigo didn't need to check to see if the guard was still alive.
Rukia stared, terrified at Ichigo. She had loved him, but seeing him kill people made her fear him.
Ichigo sighed and hugged Rukia. The two met each others gaze and they both smiled weakly. "Rukia, If we want to get out of here, we need to fight dirty, the way I have my entire life! We need to use the skills that sent us here to get back alive!"
As he said the short speech, Ichigo realised that Rukia had no skills, because he had framed her.
Ichigo frowned and rose to his feet. "Come on. Let's go!"
The two entered the main office and found it littered with the dead and dying. Guards were sprawled over the floor, bruised and beaten. Prisoners lay paralysed from multiple taser shots or dead from a real gunshot. Others wailed from the pain inflicted by non-fatal shots.
A girl with spiky black hair screamed.
"Tatsuke!" Rukia rushed over. Her leg was bleeding from a deep wound, the bullet had sunk deep.
Tatsuke laughed. "Ha. Innocent my ass! You set us free and took down your brother! You're one cold blooded little lady!" Tatsuke hugged her with a bloody hand.
"Come on, get up1 We're going to get us all out of here!" Rukia aided her to her feet and they hobbled towards the entrance.
"Wait!" Chad called from the other side of the office. In three incredibly long strides, he crossed over to them, Tosen stood behind him. The small team all eyed each other nervously.
"This is it!" Ichigo said. "We may get shot down and become one with the dirt, or we will give them hell and gain our freedom!"
The group cheered in unison and they kicked open the glass doors...
...only to be glared at by an army of guards!
*****
"We have our targets in sight! Take them down!" Iba roared to his comrades.
"Um, excuse me Iba?" someone asked quietly.
Iba whirled around and felt a thin blade enter his stomach. He groaned as blood pooled around his lips.
A man as white as a ghost, with green painted tears glared at the fallen guard. And wiped the blood from his hand.
"Ul...quiorra?!" Iba grunted.
"The human blade! You did not think that my nickname would disappear just because I was in prison? You were a fool!" Ulquiorra stepped over him into the mass of terrified guards.
"How did he get up here without being seen?! What do we do?!"
"Run!!"
The guards fled from the wall.
*****
Each jaw dropped. The guards were fleeing! Freedom was only a short sprint away!
Their feet pounded the earth sending up clumps of dirt.
Freedom...sweet freedom.
'Shunk'
Ichigo froze. His attacker kneeled before him, a knife in his red coated hands. His face was hidden beneath a dirty mess of red hair, the only patch of skin that was visible was a tattooed eyebrow.
"Ren...ji!" Ichigo crumpled and his friends descended on the assailant. Renji yanked the blade out and leapt away. He glared at them hatefully, drunk on rage.
"Why?" Ichigo muttered before falling face first in the dirt.
"I don't need to answer to you!" He raised a hand and reinforcements arrived. Ikkaku and Yumichika snarled under their breath.
Chad rushed forwards and knocked down Yumichika. Tosen fought Ikkaku leaving Ichigo to deal with his former friend turned nemesis.
"I thought we were friends?" Ichigo gasped. Each word took away precious oxygen from his lungs.
"Friends?! Do you remember only a week ago when you called me 'lower than shit!' Huh?! Or when you beat me!" Renji clenched his fists until he felt his skin split apart.
"But-"
"Silence!" Renji took a ragged breath, his fury damaging his body. "I have a deal with the guards! I will be set free if I end your life!"
"Renji, you can't be serious?!" Ichigo coughed up his life fluid and calmed himself.
"I want to breathe fresh air again! I want to take a walk without the accusing glares of armed guards! I want to be a free man!" Renji growled.
Yumichika let out a whimper as Chad drove his knee so hard into his gut that he was paralysed. He sucked in air, but none returned to his lungs. He wheezed in agony until he drew his final breath.
Tosen was not as lucky with his opponent, his blindness, impairing him considerably. He could block the majority of hits, but every so often a glancing blow would connect. Tosen performed a round-house kick and Ikkaku was flung back but he dived forwards and rolled under another hit, exposing Tosen's midsection. He dug his elbow into the soft flesh over the kidneys and Tosen fell.
"I have you now!" Ikkaku laughed. He began to strangle his opponent, digging his nails into the weak skin on the throat. Tosen gurgled and his head started to sway. His life was slowly draining.
Ikkaku pressed deeper, but his mind drifted to a feeling of being watched. He craned his neck to see Rukia, frozen in place, by some unnatural force. Her eyes blazed and her mouth curved down into a hateful frown. Her arms locked into place and the only to thing to move was her hair in the harsh breeze which kicked dirt up into the air.
Rukia took a step forward and the earth stood still. She commanded attention and fear, even though she was supposed to be a weak, innocent girl. "I still remember..."
Ikkaku's eyes narrowed.
"...What you did!" Rukia looked up from the ground and glared right into his eyes.
Time stopped, his breath stopped and his heartbeat faltered.
Why am I scared of her?! She's nothing! She's my pet! Mine! She can't threaten me!
Ikkaku drew back a fist and Rukia took the hit. She didn't flinch and she fell as the heavy punch landed. Ikkaku's frown lifted into a smile and he laughed. "HA! It was all a charade! You couldn't hit me! You're just a weak little-"
Rukia pressed a thin piece of metal into his forehead. It was a small part of the grating from the vent. "Weak little what?"
"B....b....b....BITCH!!" Ikkaku roared.
"Uh-huh." Rukia nodded. "So, what does that make you?" Rukia wrenched the metal scrap away and it tore a hideous gash in Ikkaku's shaven head. He tripped on his own feet and landed on his back. Rukia stepped on his chest and leaned down close.
"You're my pet now! And I think it's time to put you down..." Rukia grinned as Ikkaku screamed like a woman, his voice cracking.
"You BITCH!! BITCH BIIIIIIIITCH!!!"
Ikkaku's screams were drowned out in a wet gurgle as Rukia dealt the finishing blow.
Ichigo and Renji continued their staring competition, a different expression on each face. Ichigo held an expression of guilt and betrayal, Renji's face conveyed newfound hatred and excitement at the prospect of escape.
"How are you doing Renji?" A guard strolled up to them.
Rukia and the others had retreated back to Ichigo's side.
Renji smiled at the guard. "He should breath his final breath soon sir! May I be set free now?"
"Certainly..." Genryusai reached into his coat and retrieved a small key.
Renji's eyes lit up and he held his hands out, begging silently.
"...I set you free from this world!" Genryusai threw the key away and pulled out a pistol.
Renji barely registered what was going on before a bullet found it's mark deep in his skull.
"RENJI!!" Ichigo screamed. "YOU BASTARD!!" Ichigo reached for the ancient man but it was to no avail.
"Vermin! To think that I would actually let him go for killing someone! Honestly, his worst crime was his stupidity!" Genryusai strolled away as a company of guards surrounded them.
Ichigo wiped away tears and struggled to his feet. He took several shaky steps and began to run. The others followed and realised his plan. Ichigo used his sword to hack through the thin line of guards. The fence had ladders attached to it for the guards to climb down. They climbed hastily, clearing three rungs at a time, narrowly avoiding the gunshot aimed at them.
When they crawled onto the top of the fence they were met with a soft breeze and a sweet smell, of freedom!
Chad lifted the ladder and positioned it over the other side of the fence so they could get out.
The guards anticipated this and charged out the gate, oblivious to the inmates behind them. The distraction gave Ichigo and the others a chance to run further along the wall. They stopped at the exercise yard and looked down at the bush on the other side. They all jumped at once and landed softly in the thick bush.
Rukia heard a 'snap' under her feet and looked down. She had stepped on a skeleton.
"They dragged her by her feet down the hallway and took the body to the fence out in the exercise yard. Then they got two tough guys to throw the body over the fence into the bushes."
Rukia retched and emptied her scarcely filled stomach.
Ichigo offered a hand and they trudged through thick mud until they came to the edge of the small forest. The city released it's intoxicating smell and everyone took a moment to breathe it in. They followed the forests edge until they got closer. A small police station lay nestled between two houses.
The group wandered away from it and found themselves near an abandoned clothes shop. They ripped their bloody, dirty, torn uniforms away with glee. Rukia stood naked in the soft nurturing breeze and sighed. She wandered around the women's section but found nothing that would fit besides a pink bra and panties. She then searched through a rack of children's clothes until she found something the right size.
When they had all dressed they hobbled back into the street. They needed medical attention and quick. Tatsuke's leg was getting infected and needed attention. Ichigo had several knife wounds in his body and he could barely walk. Tosen had some broken ribs and a ruptured kidney, his life was slipping with each passing moment. Chad and Rukia were bruised but otherwise fine.
A small doctors surgery was only three blocks away. The bright sign stood out from the darkness.
The sun was only a sliver of yellow in the red sky and the whole region was getting dark quickly.
They began the trek to the hospital, but Tosen fell in the gutter. He grasped his side and coughed violently.
"Tosen!" Rukia went to help him up, but he raised a hand in protest.
"Leave me...I have tasted the sweet air that the free are privileged to breathe. I have escaped hell itself! I also found true companions. I shall die happy." He smiled relaxed. His breathing was laboured and irregular. Each breath was a new wave of pain. He took Rukia's hand and held it for a minute. "Good luck! Enjoy your fresh start at life and don't ever get sent back!" He gasped and went limp.
Rukia sobbed mutely and gave him a minute of silent commemoration. They then moved on.
*****
Inside the police station, Isane and her superior gathered two people. One was connected with Rukia, the other with Ichigo.
"Thank you miss Inoue and Officer Ishida for coming out all this way but we needed some information." Isane placed a photo down on the desk. "Have either of you ever heard of Kisuke Urahara?"
Ishida nodded. "Yes. Mrs Kuchiki said that he was her boss, but we looked into it and found no trace of him."
"Yes, he covers his tracks well. Miss Inoue, have you heard of this man?" Isane asked in a polite tone.
"No, never...except once. I saw him handing an envelope to Ichigo one day."
"An envelope? Did you see what was inside it?" Isane quizzed.
"No, but I think it was money, because he payed for the drinks that night."
"Okay. Well, this Kisuke Urahara is a criminal. He deceives people into committing crimes and then sells them to the local prison. The police have been in Urahara's pocket too!" Isane shifted her gaze to Ishida.
"What?! We do not associate with criminals! I am insulted that you would imply such a thing!"
"Did you check the prints?"
"What?"
Isane slammed her fist down on the table. "If you had checked for prints on the knife you found in Rukia's pocket, you would have found that the weapon belonged to someone else!"
Ishida's eyes narrowed.
"Urahara paid you to convict her! You took the bribe and made a little profit!"
"No! I swear-"
"We know what you did! You're under arrest." Isane placed handcuffs on his wrists and led him away.
Orihime stared at them leave and failed to notice Unohana sitting across from her. Unohana coughed and Orihime jumped.
"Miss Inoue, did Ichigo ever tell you about his life?"
"Well. His mom died in a car crash." Unohana frowned and searched through a pile of papers. "I'm sorry." Orihime said.
"No, it's just that Ichigo's mother was murdered."
Orihime's eyes widened. "Murdered?"
"Again, it was Urahara. Masaki Kurosaki was approached by Kisuke on several occasions, each time offering her different jobs. She refused each one and then Urahara started to threaten her. She came to us and we started the investigation into him. A week later, she was found dead near a river, Ichigo was nearby but apparently never saw anything."
"My god! That's awful!" Orihime covered her mouth with her hands.
"To spare his feelings, we told him that a car had struck her as she was crossing the road, but we actually found Urahara's prints on her throat during the autopsy. He killed her, but when we went to arrest him, he was gone. He has been consistently moving ever since and we can't track him fast enough."
"So that was why you wanted to know if I'd seen him?"
Unohana nodded. "Well. Thank you for your time."
"Is that...Ichigo?!" Orihime squinted out the window at a group of people limping past. All looked like they had been in a war, covered in blood and bruises.
Orihime and the investigators sprinted out into the street, but they were gone.
"Where did they go?!" Isane asked, looking around frantically.
"The clinic just down the road! It's owned by Ichigo's father!" Unohana yelled excitedly. They ran off into the night.
*****
Ichigo collapsed as soon as he entered the small clinic. The others did the same.
A small girl with blonde hair scurried out from another room and screamed. She called out to someone and a middle-aged man approached. His jaw dropped as he stared at Ichigo. "Son?"
Ichigo looked up and failed to recognise the man.
"It's me! Your dad, Isshin."
"Isshin?" Ichigo fell unconscious and was dragged to a bed. The others were placed in beds as well and Isshin and his surprisingly young nurses assisted them.
"Dad..." The blonde girl asked. "...why doesn't he recognise us?"
Isshin searched through Ichigo's pockets and found nothing. "Well, the picture of us he always carried is gone." Isshin scratched his beard.
*****
URAHARA SHOTEN
Urahara sat by a fire, holding a family photo…Ichigo's family. The phone beside him rang loudly. Genryusai spoke quickly and Urahara felt rage build up inside.
"What?! They escaped?! You stupid idiot! Capture them immediately before they get too far!" Urahara scrunched up the photo and hurled it into the fire.
#Yes Mr Urahara#
"Now don't ring again until you have their heads Yammamoto!!" Urahara slammed the phone down and cursed. "Shit!! If they find me... I must stop them myself!" Urahara twirled his cane and took out the hidden sword within.
If it's been geting too gory then tell me. It wont get any worse than this...probably. But anyway, how will Rukia and Ichigo manage when they are pursued by Yammamoto and his fellow guards? And what does Urahara have in store for his little runaways?
Find out in the next chapter. And in case you were wondering, no it wont have the word rescue in the title.
Please review!!