I don't own anything.

Detective Ikari: The Price of Blood

-Chapter Seven: Assault Team Oscar

"That's all I've got for you," Amber stated. "Go get your jobs done and try not to destroy the entire city."

"So part of the city's okay?" someone asked.

"If need be," Amber replied. "And those of you going to the range, no more fighting with the contractors. My brother is starting to get annoyed. Now get out!" She watched as her growing team of detectives walked out of the room.

"Mana looked happy," Helen commented.

"So?" Amber asked as she returned to her seat.

"Nothing," Helen replied. "I was just saying that she looks really happy, a lot happier than before. Maybe she had a good time last night."

"What are you implying?" Amber asked.

"Well, I just happened to be out barhopping and I noticed a certain pair of detectives sitting around having a drink," Helen stated.

"What do I care what my detectives do on their off time?" Amber grated.

"I was just wondering where they went after that," Helen replied innocently.

"What do I care if they're fucking?" Amber shrieked. She paused for a moment. "I'm going to kill that skank!"

"Uh, oh."

(:ii:)

Jackson Mondragon stared straight ahead instead of looking at the monoliths floating around him. "That is my report gentlemen."

"Is there any way to salvage this debacle?" one of the monoliths demanded.

"I propose that we use the mercenary team already in the city as the backup plan," Jackson stated. "The danger of mortally wounding Ikari goes up in this situation, but diplomacy has failed. We must strike both Ikari and Kirishima at the same time or one of them could warn the other."

"What about striking them together?"

"Unacceptable risk," Jackson reported. "Make no mistake, gentlemen, neither of these people are amateurs. They are both highly trained and together they would be too difficult to capture."

"Very well. You have permission to proceed as you have planned."

"Yes sir. We will attack as soon as they are separated."

(:ii:)

"So," Mana began. "Who's picking fights with the mercenaries?"

"Nobody," Spades replied. "They're picking fights with us and they're just getting pissy because they keep losing."

"Ah." Mana stared down at the papers in her hand. This time they had been tasked with driving some visiting big shot around the city. "You think this is going to be an easy job?"

"Most people who don't have their own security and hire out to the likes of us are just paranoid nut jobs with too much money," Spades stated.

"Speaking from experience?"

"Always," Spades replied. "Is this it?" Mana checked the name of the airport with the name on their papers.

"Yup." Spades pulled into the parking garage and climbed out.

"Am I the only one who sees a problem with us being armed and airport security?" Mana asked.

"You're staying outside the checkpoint and I'll meet the man at the gate," Spades replied as he handed over his new snubbie. He shrugged off his coat and his backup as well and locked it in the car. His phone buzzed and he dug it out. "Spades."

"We're going out tonight." Spades frowned. He knew who it was, so there was no point in asking.

"What brought this on?" he asked.

"What are you implying?" Amber demanded.

"Nothing," Spades replied. "I'll see you at Mike's at six."

"No."

"No?" Spades repeated.

"We're going out," Amber stated.

"Mike's is out."

"We're going to a restaurant," Amber corrected. "Dress nice." The line went dead and Spades frowned.

"Crazy ass women."

"Don't compare all women to her," Mana stated. Spades shot her a glance. "I could hear her screaming from here."

"Ah," Spades replied as they started towards the doors. "Women are crazy and you know it." Mana pouted.

"Just because it's the truth, doesn't mean its right." Spades just shrugged and pushed the doors open.

"Let's go meet Mister Paranoid Nut Case."

(:ii:)

"You don't understand. I'm really very important." Mana glanced up and suppressed a smirk as she spotted her partner and the client. Spades looked positively murderous, in his own way.

"Everything go smoothly?" Mana asked.

"So far," Spades replied. Mana wrapped him in a hug and passed him his revolver.

"I missed you."

"And I missed company that knew when to shut up," Spades growled. Mana glanced at the client. He was staring at her.

"They sent a woman to protect me?" he demanded.

"I don't get paid enough to put up with this," Mana stated.

"I know," Spades replied as he led them through the airport towards the car.

"How long do we have to protect him?" Mana asked.

"Just to escort him to the local branch of his company," Spades replied. "They didn't have any of their own employees to spare to protect him."

"I can't imagine why," Mana drawled.

"Mm," Spades agreed. "Remember this. It'll give you experience."

"In dealing with paranoid nuts?"

"Yup."

(:ii:)

Max glanced up as someone knocked on his office door. "Come in." The door opened and one of his team leaders walked in. "What's happening?"

"We were just given the go ahead from the client," the man stated. Max nodded and glanced at the picture of himself and his younger sister on his desk.

"Send Assault Team Oscar," he ordered after a moment.

"What if they run into the authorities?" the man asked.

"Do whatever it takes to avoid being caught," Max replied. "Engaging is not a first option. Tell them that they will avoid any confrontations with the cops and engage only as a last resort."

"Yes sir."

(:ii:)

Spades pulled into the parking garage and climbed out of the Charger. "I think I'll guard the vehicle," Mana commented. Spades nodded his understanding. A thirty minute drive having to listen to the client's misogynistic ranting was wearing down his nerves. He couldn't imagine what it was like for Mana.

"You got the sawed off?" Mana opened her coat slightly to show the tiny rifle dangling from a sling over her shoulder. "Good. Just in case the bad guys show up."

"Yeah," Mana replied dryly. Spades nodded and led the man towards the elevator.

"You should warn people if you're going to send a woman to protect someone," the man stated. "Women just aren't as strong as men."

"Mm," Shinji grunted. "How far do I have to escort you, sir?"

"Just to the office on the top floor," the man replied. Spades nodded and pushed the door open for the man. This was almost as bad as when he and Mark had to escort a man hater. That had actually been rather amusing. Spades pushed the elevator call button and swept the hallway absently. The doors opened and he stepped inside. The ride up was utterly quiet. The doors opened and Spades climbed out.

"Where's the office?"

"Hang on a sec," the man stated. "I have to use the bathroom." Spades sighed and followed the man into the public restroom. He made a beeline for the sink and splashed cold water onto his face. Jobs like this were a large reason for his misanthropy. The door opened and Spades glanced at the mirror out of habit. He had just enough time to note the irony before the new person's shotgun went off.

The round, must have been a rubber bullet, hit Spade's left shoulder and spun him around. Ignoring the pain, he used the momentum to bring his snubbie to bear as more men pressed into the bathroom. Spades opened fire, reaching back for his old Rohrbaugh from the small of his back with his left hand. He drew the weapon as he emptied the snubbie and opened fire with the tiny 9mm. Spades stared at the bodies and than at the stall the client had ducked into. "No way."

"What's happening?" the man shrieked.

"I think I just foiled an assassination attempt," Spades stated. He set about reloading his pistols and tucked them back into their holsters. He pulled his radio out of his pocket and turned it on. "Mana?"

"What's up?" Spades sighed in relief. At least she had hers on.

"I think Mister Paranoia isn't quite so paranoid."

"Did someone just try to kill him?" Mana asked in disbelief.

"Yeah."

"Huh, go figure," Mana stated. "I guess just because you're paranoid really doesn't mean that someone's out to get. . ." A sonic crack made Spades wince.

"Mana? Mana? What was that?"

"Ambush!" Spades was to the door before she could even finish the word.

"What should I do?" the man shrieked.

"Stay there!" Spades ordered. He knocked the door open and sprinted out to help his partner.

(:ii:)

Mana sighed and looked around the garage. This job was definitely not one of the best. It wasn't even amusing! Of course that was because Spades wouldn't let her argue with the client. "Mana?" Mana looked around and realized that the voice was coming from the Charger. She picked up her radio from where she had left it.

"What's up?"

"I think Mister Paranoia isn't quite so paranoid." Mana's jaw dropped.

"Did someone just try to kill him?" she demanded.

"Yeah." Mana frowned and scratched her head.

"Huh, go figure. I guess just because you're paranoid really doesn't mean that someone's out to get. . ." a sharp crack bounced off the garage's walls and something slammed into Mana's back, dead between her shoulder blades. Mana was thrown roughly across the hood of the Charge by the impact. "What fuck?" She reached under her jacket and brought the sawed off up. Really it wasn't a sawed off weapon. It was a 5.56mm pistol that Spades had put a red dot scope and a single point sling on. He has also illegally put a forward handgrip on it. Mana was especially fond of that as she opened fire on the black van driving towards her. As she fired, she noticed that Spades was still talking.

"What was that?" Mana fumbled for the radio and the push to talk button with one hand.

"Ambush!" She dropped the radio and continued firing, thankful that the sawed off took M16 magazines as someone in the van opened up with a machinegun.

(:ii:)

Spades pushed the doors to the garage open and edged out into the structure. "Nothing personal." Spades spun and saw a man standing behind his Charger. Without really pausing to think, Spades raised his weapon and fired. At this range the .45-caliber ball round slammed into the man's helmeted head and threw him roughly.

"Mana?" No one answered him. The van parked near his Charger screeched to life and started to escape. Spades stepped out into the middle of the garage, pulling on his glasses, and took careful aim as the van flew towards him. He fired and the right front tire exploded. The van swerved sharply and slammed into a row of parked cars. Spades ignored them and sprinted towards his car.

He found his partner sprawled in a puddle of her own blood. "Oh shit." Spades grabbed for his cell phone and dialed 911 as he kneeled by her side. He grabbed the edges of her button down shirt and tore it open. At least her vest had stopped all the bullets aimed at her torso.

"911. What's your emergency?"

"My name is Spades Ikari and I'm a private detective with Young Private Security," Spades stated as he checked Mana's legs. She had been shot five times. "My partner and I have been attacked on the fifth level of the parking garage in Nakatomi Plaza."

"Who is injured?" the lady asked.

"Just my partner," Spades replied. "Everyone else is dead."

"Alright sir, I need you to stay calm." Spades' eyebrow twitched. Why did people insist on telling him to be calm?

"Get an ambulance here now," he hissed as he tugged off his belt and tied a tourniquet around Mana's right leg. He grabbed her belt and did the same to her left. After a moment of thought, he also set about treating her for shock. Finally, satisfied that he had done all he could, he opened the trunk of his car and lifted the false floor. He grabbed one of the concussion grenades and walked over to the van. He pulled the pin and dropped it into one of the open windows. Someone had enough awareness to recognize the weapon and scream.

Spades retreated a couple of dozen yards and stared down at the man he had shot in the head. The man moaned slightly and Spades grinned. "Wake up kiddo."

"My head," the man whimpered. Spades pulled his helmet off and stared at the heavy indentation on the side.

"Nice helmet." Spades tugged one of his knives out of its hiding place. "I've got a couple of questions, kiddo."

"Fuck you." Spades shoved his knife into the man's calf, ignoring the man's scream.

"Who do you work for?"

"I'm just a mercenary," the man spat. "I don't know who the client is!" Spades twisted the knife.

"Quit being cute," Spades ordered. "If you're a contractor, who do you work for?" The man hesitated and Spades tugged the knife out. He stuck it in the man's stomach instead.

"Young!" Spades' eyebrow rose.

"Convince me."

"I'm part of Assault Team Oscar!" the man screamed.

"Why were you trying to kill that idiot?" Spades asked.

"We were trying to kill her!" the man shrieked. Spades twisted the knife thoughtfully.

"What about the other guys?"

"They were supposed to capture you and turn you over to the UN guys!"

"The UN guys," Spades repeated. "Great." Spades slashed his throat and slipped the knife into Mana's hand. A few prodded tendons and her fist clamped around the knife. After a moment of consideration, Spades pulled the forward handgrip off the sawed off and threw it in the trunk. Spades straightened up. "Amber isn't going to life this." More specifically, she wasn't going to like what he was going to do to her brother. A wailing siren filled the air and Spades looked up to see a squad car pull in. The cop climbed out and Spades sighed in relief. "Hey Ben."

"Jesus, Spades," the cop gaped at the garage. "Where's your partner?"

"Over there," Spades replied. "I did everything I could." Ben kneeled by Mana's side.

"What about this guy?" Ben glanced at the boy he had knifed.

"What do you mean?"

"If you're really going to make it like she knifed him in self defense, you're going to have to do a little better than put the knife in her hand." Spades watched curiously as Ben went about fixing the scene. "Better."

"Thanks." Spades stared at the kid and closed the false floor in his trunk. "Have you heard anything about UN guys in town?"

"Yeah," Ben replied. "Some kind of special investigators came into town flashing badges and ordering everyone around. They said they were investigating something. They involved?"

"Possibly."

"I'll get you names and locations," Ben stated. Shinji raised an eyebrow. "Nobody likes them anyway." He glanced at the van. "What about that?"

"Somebody must have had a grenade out when they crashed," Spades replied. "How unfortunate."

"Don't mind me. I'm just dying here." Spades glanced down and saw his partner's eyes open.

"Dying? I thought you were dead."

"Cute," Mana growled. Spades kneeled down.

"You're going to be okay. An ambulance is on the way."

"Did you take care of everybody?"

"With a little help," Spades replied. "Any reason why the UN wants you dead?"

"One of my last contracts was with an organization named SEELE," Mana replied. "They own the UN. My split with them wasn't under the best circumstances. They're representative was this prick named Mondragon."

"Jackson Mondragon?" Ben asked. Spades glanced at him.

"One of the UN guys?" he ventured.

"Their boss," Ben stated. Spades' lips twisted into a grim smirk

"Good."

"Don't go doing anything nasty to him!" Mana ordered weakly.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"I'm serious," Mana growled. "That bastard is mine to destroy."

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. Long one. Heh, I always think its funny when people react to horrible situations in amused disbelief.

I was kind of at a loss for how Spades and Mana would be attacked. Then I decided it'd be fun to have them trying to protect an idiot. I thought it was funny at least.