A Change of Perspective: Chapter 7 - The Coils of Set, Part 1
Ginji limply swatted away the insistent prodding he felt on his left arm. His bed felt so warm and cozy that he hadn't the slightest desire to move. When the poking started again, he rolled up into a tight ball under the covers in a desperate attempt to escape the annoying finger-jabbing.
"Oy! Will you wake the fuck up, already!" Ban screeched in his best friend's ear as loudly as he could.
Everyone in the mansion had basically an hour left to get ready before their coach arrived. Having woken up after only four hours of sleep left Ban in the foulest of moods.
"Ow, Ban, that hurt," chibi-Ginji whined. He was currently stuck to the ceiling after leaping in response to the frightening wake-up call of his best friend's yelling. He then peeled himself off and slowly drifted back down to his bed like a dead leaf.
"I'm packed and ready to go. I even piled up some of the shit you left around the room. Get your ass off that bed and start jamming your suitcases full!" Ban commanded angrily.
"Okay, okay! I'm up, I'm up," Ginji said groggily, yawning loudly.
"I'm going downstairs for a strong cup of coffee. You better be showered and packed when I get back."
On his way down the hallway to the main staircase, Ban suddenly slowed to a stop in front of the room occupied by Akabane. Huh. Like I give a fuck what he does with himself. Nevertheless, he couldn't shake the eerie feeling that compelled him to try the doorknob.
Unlocked?
He quietly slipped inside and closed the door carefully. He heard the shower running so he shrugged and shook his head. Before he turned to leave, he noted that Jackal wasn't packed yet. He figured a guy as meticulous as the Murder Wizard would've already had his luggage lined up by the main door. Unless...
Ban sprinted toward the bathroom then skidded to a halt. Face down on the tiled floor, sprawled halfway out of the shower area was a wet, naked and very unconscious Jackal!
Shit!
Instantly grabbing a towel, Ban bent down to pick Jackal up and was alarmed when the water that sprayed on him from the shower-head was ice cold. Not good. He felt for a pulse. The bastard's still alive, at least. Wrapping the towel he had around Jackal's waist tightly, Ban flung him over his shoulder and headed toward the bedroom, the man's long, soggy hair smacking his backside in clumps.
Retrieving more towels, Ban quickly proceeded to dry Jackal and even tried to wring as much water as he could out of the man's long, black hair. He then bound Jackal's damp hair and body in dry towels and bundled him under the covers. Using the friction-heat of his hands on the blankets, he vigorously rubbed Jackal's chest, arms, hands, legs and feet, hoping hypothermia hadn't set in. Rummaging through the room's closets, Ban found more goose down comforters and piled them on top of him.
Brilliant. Now what? Our ride's gonna be here in 25 minutes!
Forgoing his strong cup of coffee, Ban scurried around Jackal's room and gathered the man's scattered belongings. He then somehow figured out where each of the items went into Jackal's luggage collection. With a momentary check on Jackal's less paler complexion and warming body temperature, Ban headed straight for Hevn's room.
A series of booming knocks sent a stormy Hevn stomping to answer her door.
"WHAT?" Hevn shrieked in Ban's face. She was in the middle of a skin care routine that she loathed to be disturbed from. "This better be good or so help me - !"
Without a word, Ban grabbed her by the hand and deposited her inside Jackal's room. Hevn temporarily set aside her must-murder-Mido rampage when she saw the surprising state that Akabane was in.
"I found him face down on his bathroom floor. The shower water was freezing cold. If you asked me, I'd say he's been passed out for almost an hour."
Touching Jackal's forehead lightly, she was glad that he was warm...perhaps too warm.
"Ban, I think Akabane's got a fever," Hevn said worriedly.
Quickly feeling the man's forehead for himself, Ban cursed a mean streak when he agreed with Hevn's assessment. He started pacing the room, deep in thought.
"Ban? Is there something you're not telling me?" Hevn asked perceptively.
He sighed and stopped pacing. He ran a hand through his red, spiky hair and glanced at the numerous beads of sweat that were materializing on Jackal's forehead, trickling slowly down his face. Ban had no choice but to inform Hevn of Jackal's personal problem.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner? I could have found a suitable replacement!" Hevn screeched. Already in a nasty mood, this unexpected wrench in her carefully prepared mission plan felt like a bucket of sludge water. "Well, hotshot, now's the perfect time to show me how much of a genius you claim to be! I'm leaving to get ready. Our ride's gonna be here in fifteen minutes and I fully intend to look presentable!"
He watched as Hevn left the room in a huff, the sharp slam of the door was sure to attract some attention. Not only did Ban have the daunting task of concealing Jackal's problem from the rest of the Getbackers, he had to somehow get the guy back on his feet pronto before the big Coils of Set Welcome Feast for all the attending Initiates. Scratching his head, Ban lit a cigarette and called the room he shared with Ginji using the intercom system. This much was certain, Ban had no intention of allowing Dr. Jackal's stupid personal problem get in the way of this assignment's big payoff!
Emishi let out a long, loud yawn much to Sakura's amusement. Most of them hardly slept after last night's eye-opening dress rehearsal. Sakura looked around and noted that only two people were missing from their little gathering. In the main foyer of the Otawa mansion, the rest of the Getbackers ambled about as they waited for the arrival of the exclusive shuttle bus to their secret destination.
"I wonder what's keeping Mido and Jackal?" Kazuki thought out loud. He saw Hevn fidget uncomfortably where she stood.
"Who knows? I think those two have their own agendas brewing," Shido said suspiciously.
"El Creepo and Evil Eyes? A team? Come on!" Emishi laughed. "Never gonna happen."
Each of the assembled members of the Recovery Team were dressed in their respective disguises, ready to assume their assigned personality quirks the instant Hevn gave the signal.
"Alright, gang, here's our ride. Let's put on our game faces," Hevn announced.
"Aren't they coming?" Kazuki asked again worriedly, this time with the voice of Kotone Asaito. He felt a reassuring hand gently grip his right shoulder. Smiling slightly, he leaned into Juubei's comforting presence. He then entwined his left hand with Toshiki's - who firmly held on - needing to feel the Hell Knight's support as well.
"Kazu, you're getting all worked up over nothing," Ginji said with a big smile. "They'll be here." The quiet conviction of his words made everyone shiver. He then firmly grasped Himiko's hand as the coach pulled up and slowed to a stop.
The coach's exterior was comparable to an A-list musician's oversized tour bus. All visible windows were heavily tinted and the vehicle was professionally painted in black, silver and red. Large letters that read 'Private' were centered on a sign above the driver and although the expansive windshield was clear glass, the interior beyond the driver's area was shielded from view by a heavy black curtain.
First out of the bus were three, shapely, beautiful young women with silky, pastel clothing and lots of bare skin. A redhead and a brunette flanked the entrance to the coach while a blonde stood off to the side. She stood proudly and spoke confidently with a sensuous, exotic accent.
"Good day to you all. My name is Kaira and this is Hessabeth (redhead), and Sasha (brunette). I will be your humble hostess for the duration of this trip. Please, do not hesitate to call upon me or the others for assistance. As newcomers to the Coils of Set, you will all be taken to a place where your eligibility into our fold will be methodically tested by our High Priestess. As a courtesy, I must ask that if anyone here harbors any doubt - "
"You can save the speech, lady. This herd's just itching to jump right into the Coils of Set bandwagon."
The woman called Kaira stood speechless, staring in awe with her fellow female companions at the sudden appearance of a brazen dish of spiky, red-haired male swathed in black latex.
"Sorry, we're late. My mistress and I slept in. We had a long, sinful night and I kinda wore her out," Ban stated with a grin, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Oh, and our packed luggage is still in the house. My arms are kinda full, so I hope you and your lady friends don't mind fetching our bags?"
"N-Not at all," Kaira said, recovering from her tongue-tied condition. She clapped her hands sharply and Hevn gasped when three, tall, very handsome, bare-chested, muscle-sculpted males exited the coach. Two of the men began collecting and loading all the luggage present with effortless efficiency while the third went straight toward the mansion.
Having memorized the coach's roster the night before, Kaira, to be fair, boarded the group in alphabetical order according to surname.
Setting foot first past the black, velvet curtains were Kazuki, Juubei and Toshiki. The 'common room' as Sasha called it was a comfortable area made to look like a lounge-y living room with enough space, miraculously, to fit the entire group.
After the Initiates were given a tour and settled into their own cabins, the coach began its journey toward an undisclosed location. From this point on, the motley crew of Retrieval experts were on their own.
Most of them were amazed with the coach's interior and their accommodations in general but had to refrain from commenting or reacting in their usual manner. It all seemed a bit overboard for mere Initiates but Hevn's briefing had mentioned that the Coils of Set organization had a habit of recruiting its female members from the 'upper crust' of society.
I can get used to this, Emishi thought happily as he popped a fresh, over-sized strawberry into his mouth and sipped at his champagne. "Would you like one of the chocolate-dipped ones, my dear?"
"Yes, I would like one very much," Sakura giggled, playing along. She allowed Emishi to hand-feed her a few. Hevn had instructed all of them to stay in character even if it seemed like they had some privacy in their own cabin. Hidden cameras could be following their every movement. Besides, Emishi was a sweetheart and the chocolate strawberries were delicious.
Kaira's eyes scanned the camera feeds, each one an 8x8 square on her large wall monitor. All the guests were given a service cart filled with snacks of all kinds and a good selection of spirits. The video surveillance (no audio) had a dual purpose, it was her responsibility to cater to every possible whim her guests may need, while at the same time, she could weed out any undesirables or imposters.
"It's been a long time since the Coil's had a member with two husbands," Hessabeth said with a hint of praise.
"She's so lovely, she could easily have three," Sasha gushed and gazed longingly at Kotone Asaito being sensuously fed confections by both her husbands.
As all the guests amused themselves with the snack carts, Kaira's eyes paused on the camera feed from the cabin occupied by Akasha Bane. It appeared that her husband was attending to her sleeping form with a worried frown on his face.
"Hessabeth, please take over for a while, I'll be a few minutes," Kaira said and stood to leave.
Dammit, Akabane, you picked a helluva time to get sick! Wake up, you worthless prick, I'm not your nursemaid! Ban directed his mental rant at the unconscious, fevered form of Dr. Jackal hoping the lousy ass would hear and obey him.
There was a soft knock followed by a muffled, "I apologize for the intrusion but may I come in?"
Ban opened the door with an irritated, "What is it?"
"I brought a newly chilled bottle of champagne. I'm afraid the one in your cart was left out too long," Kaira said humbly.
"Fine. Bring it in," Ban replied, parting the door further to let her pass. He watched her closely as she exchanged the bottles, not even glancing over to where Akabane lay.
"Hey, uh, Kaira, is it?" Ban called out. "You got any aspirin? I think my Raven Butterfly's running a bit of a fever. She wasn't feeling well to begin with and I warned her not to overdo it last night but rough sex always makes her feel better. I guess today's the exception."
Blushing slightly, Kaira replied, "I'll be right over with a medicine kit. If you'll excuse me."
He watched the door click shut before returning his attention to the bed where Jackal finally began to stir.
'Bout fucking time. "Rise and shine Psycho-Tramp," Ban cooed softly, dabbing a cold cloth on Jackal's forehead.
"Where..." Akabane whispered when he felt the unusual movement of his unfamiliar surroundings. "Are we - ?"
"Yeah. We boarded our chartered coach almost an hour ago. They said it'll take about five hours before our stop," Ban supplied.
"How..."
"First off, I found you face down on your bathroom floor, your lower half still inside the shower stall. I guess that last headache you got was a doozy?"
Akabane's brows crashed together in deep concern. He then felt strong arms help him sit up as a cold glass of spring water was pressed to his lips. After a few gulps, his parched throat felt a bit better. The rest of his body, however, was another matter entirely. He leaned back against the soft pile of pillows that were propped up behind him as he tried to remember what caused his preposterous blackout. Disturbingly, he was at a loss.
"I...can't seem to recall what happened," Akabane said slowly.
That noggin of yours is more trouble than its worth. "Drawing a blank, huh? Anyway, I think I managed to pack all your stuff. Even those horse-pill painkillers you've been taking. Where the heck did you get those things?" Ban asked with a laugh, flopping down beside him on the bed.
A pair of purple eyes regarded Ban sincerely for a few moments as Akabane pieced together what the Jagan-wielder had done for him.
"It seems I owe you a debt of gratitude...Bastian. This 'Raven Butterfly' will do well to heed your warning from now on," Akabane said with a grateful smile.
"Knew you were faking it," Ban teased back.
A soft knock rapped on their door for the second time.
"It's that Kaira lady. She's back with a medicine kit. She came by earlier so I asked for some aspirin," Ban said, as he let her in.
"Oh! My deepest apologies for intruding. I'll leave this here," Kaira said and promptly left.
"So, she appeared at precisely the right moment you needed her," Akabane mused.
The two men exchanged a knowing look. So far, the intelligence they received was correct: they were being watched. By just how many cameras, they had no way of telling.
"Here's the aspirin. The sooner that fever of yours is gone, the happier I'll be," Ban stated, putting aside the medicine kit and wheeling the little loaded cart closer to the bed. He then started examining the cart's contents.
"Well, we have about three and a half hours to kill. I suppose we can amuse ourselves till then," Akabane said, staring at a fruit-laden torte.
"Oh, yeah? What's that perverted head of yours got in mind?" Ban dared.
"You sure you're up for it? I thought you didn't like me very much."
"I'll try to deal with my overall revulsion for the sake of appearances. Besides, I'm more interested in whoever's watching the show," Ban drawled, removing his black, latex vest and invitingly stretched himself out on the bed.
As he stared up at the ceiling waiting for whatever humiliation Dr. Demento would subject him to, Ban failed to notice a strange sympathetic look in Akabane's eyes.
I must have temporary insanity to agree to this shit! Hevn's gonna owe me big-time for this one! I'm demanding some major hazard pay from that bitch for pairing me up with Dr. Jackal, for crying out loud!
"Alright, then. Let's begin the show, shall we? Just stay where you are and relax, now. This is going to get a little...messy," Akabane purred.
Two cabins down, Hevn was plagued by an impressive series of sneezes.
to be continued
Author's Note:
Hmmm. What did Jackal do to Ban I wonder? (yes, I'm evil incarnate - cackles loudly) Let's just let that teaser marinate for a while...
I really hope I didn't turn off some readers by my long update periods. But I do know the frustration of not being able to just keep reading a story...and I never predicted I'd be doing it too...sighs... (bows low)
So? What do you guys think of this latest chapter? All your words of encouragement are deeply appreciated!
