Hello Everybody! As always I'm here to thank you for the kind words over this story, really, my heart is warming up to know that this story is getting loved so much.
I don't know how to thank you :3
I'm sorry If I left you with a cliffhanger in the last chapter, but this is the way I use, leave you with a cliffy MUAHAHAHAH xD
Thank you animechick123 for beta reading, as always ^^
Let's go now ;)
Chapter 7
Blood on the Newspaper
With her legs on the coffee table and a glass of wine in her hand, Sakura looked at Syaoran work on installing some micro cameras in her apartment. While he was accompanying her, he insisted on installing some safety devices on the walls of her home, just for security purposes.
Sakura agreed to this, just in case the Monstrum wanted to make an ambush and kill her next. She felt somewhat safe by Detective Li's suggestion.
With the glass against her lips and earphones in her ears, she looked at Syaoran with an interested look in her eyes. She could feel that he wanted to protect her from the murderer who killed her best friend and unborn baby. For once, she found someone who wanted to protect her from danger, other than Touya.
Maybe she needed someone outside her family who wanted to keep her in a safe glass ball and treat her like the most precious treasure in the world. Sakura never thought that it would be a Detective to have this desire…
Maybe it was just the sexual connection between them, because Sakura couldn't deny it. She could barely breathe in the man's presence sometimes. She would even go as far to say that the tension between them was almost toxic.
It wasn't toxic because of his status or the expectations that were held of him compared to her life. It was toxic because she felt like he was becoming her new drug; a drug that affected her entire body, just at the sight of him. For her, Syaoran was the equivalent of the drugs; addicted to his handsome face and craving his body to be against hers.
Sakura could feel her entire body grow hot at the thoughts. She placed the glass of wine on the coffee table and laid her hands on her belly.
I was clean, but it seems like Detective Li is my new drug.
At that thought, she looked at Syaoran, seeing a few tiny beads of sweat on his forehead. His shirt was unbuttoned, revealing half of his chest. Even the sight numbed her mind.
She wondered how it would feel to strip for him inside one of the rooms at the Red Lotus. The soft red lights, a pole for her to dance against, and him sitting on a couch, watching her with interest as she took off her clothing. She was sure that they would both lose control and solve their problems under the sheets by the end of the night.
"Okay, I'm done here. I've installed the last one." Sakura could hear Syaoran's voice through her earphones.
She removed them almost immediately, her erotic thoughts of Syaoran going to dust.
She stood up from the couch and gave him a weak smile. "It was a pleasure watching you work, Detective. I must admit, you look rather hot working in my house."
Syaoran's could feel his cheeks warming, not expecting her to flirt so bluntly with him. He figured that she would be serious this time around, considering he was doing serious business here.
A smirk crept to his lips and he walked towards her. Sakura bit half of her lower lip; her body growing hot instantly.
When he stood in front of her, Syaoran placed his hands around her waist and caressed her gently.
She shivered, closing her eyes as she enjoyed his touch.
Even if she was fully clothed, she felt like they were both under the sheets of her bed naked from the simple touch. It was something that she couldn't explain.
Tomoyo would have told her that it was some outrageous love attraction that probably didn't exist. Crazy lust, is what Sakura liked to call it.
His touch's so…hypnotizing…
Syaoran continued to caress her waist before he slid them to her lower back.
Before she could comprehend anything, she felt Syaoran's lips against her earlobe, biting gently as he breathed his hot breath against her skin.
Sakura opened her eyes a little, almost trapped by the feeling.
"I told you the affect you have on me. Don't make me repeat myself," he whispered in a husky voice before looking at her half closed eyes.
His manhood pulsed against his pants. The desire to make her his was so strong that he wanted to take her now. But, a side of him told him to take it slow, just to let her know that there were some guys who could treat a woman right.
Despite the smell of tobacco, he could still smell the cherry blossoms, which further turned him the terrible habits she had, was beyond sensual to him. Her looks and provocative outfits weren't the only thing that grabbed his attention.
It was something that he couldn't explain. He only knew that he had more blood in his manhood, than his brain when next to her. His heart even seemed to have more of a reaction than his head does when around her.
Sakura was giving him feelings that he couldn't explain in that precise moment when next to her. It almost scared him.
Syaoran removed a hand from her body and took an earphone, curious to know what she was listening to. He was surprised to hear the song that is playing: Remember Everything by Five Finger Death Punch.
It was a song that hit him right in the chest, knowing Sakura's backstory. He must say that the lyrics fit her in every possible way. She remembered everything that happened, even the killing of her best friend. In addition, being so close to home, and yet so far from home.
Syaoran let the earphone fall from his hand. Sakura fully opened her eyes and looked at him. "What's wrong?" she asked.
He looked at her and caressed her cheek softly. "You miss your family, don't you?"
At that question, Sakura's eyes widened, surprised, and then her gaze shifted to her earphones. She knew what he meant.
Sakura took her phone and stopped the music immediately, then dropped it back into her pocket. "Yeah, I miss my family…but, I can't tell them the truth."
Syaoran removed his hands from her back and cheek, not having the courage to touch her again, since it was a delicate subject for Sakura. He was not sure how to comfort her in a time like this.
"I don't know if my brother told you, but my mother is dying due to heart cancer and she has at least two months to live." Sakura walked towards the kitchen and opened the fridge and took out a bottle of wine.
Syaoran walked in the kitchen, slowly making his way to her.
Sakura took out a glass and poured the wine in it. He assumed that the glass was for him, since he saw her taking out a cigarette for herself.
With her fingers, she counted the remaining cigarettes in the package. "Damn it. I need to buy another pack before going to The Red Lotus tonight," she muttered to herself before placing the cigarette between her lips and lit it.
Syaoran took the glass and sipped a bit of wine. "The Chief didn't mention this thing about your mother. It must be hard for you," he said as he took Sakura's hand into his.
She looked surprised at the sudden gesture. She didn't expect that gesture from him, but instead of letting him know how surprised she was, she nodded as she took a whiff of her cigarette.
"You have no idea. I'm tempted to tell the truth, but that could just cause her to have a heart attack, and I don't want that."
Syaoran could feel that she was holding back her tears. He knew what it felt like to lose a parent, though he was just fourteen when his father died, because of pancreas cancer. He felt like his world had crashed in that moment, so he understood.
There was no way she could tell her parents the truth. He caressed her hand as she took another whiff of her cigarette.
"Why are you so kind to me, Detective Li?" she asked, removing her hand from his touch.
Syaoran shook his head at her question. There was no reason, if he wanted to be honest. It was just a gut feeling that she needed some love and kindness in her world.
With Tsukishiro Yue constantly raping her, Tsukishiro Yukito being a bastard, beating her every time she did something wrong at the strip club, the death of Daidouji Tomoyo, lying to her parents just to protect them from any possible danger; and from her past as a junkie and now a stripper and prostitute. Syaoran could tell that Sakura was passing the seven layers of hell right now.
Sure, she had a job that allowed her to pay rent in the Shibuya District, and from what he could see; it looked expensive from the furniture and the carpet she had. In addition, it was big from what he had seen. She may have been living well enough, but that didn't mean she was being treated well.
Syaoran watched Sakura as she placed her cigarette on the ashtray. "There's no reason, Kinomoto-san. I can see that you need some kindness from someone, other than your brother. "
Sakura remained silent, feeling her heart explode in her chest.
"You are a 'sinner' in the Monstrum's eyes, and maybe also to its collaborator's eyes. But in my eyes, you are entirely human, prostitute or not."
Sakura moved her hand towards her neck, feeling a knot inside her throat. Her eyes burned with mixed emotions at his statement.
It was like fire burning in her veins, as if she inhaled the smoke of her cigarette.
Sakura closed her eyes for a moment and opened them after her heart calmed down at the sudden surge of emotions. "Nobody has ever told me such a thing." She gave him a weak, but sincere, smile.
"I'm glad that you're working on this case. I can see that Touya trusts you fully." Sakura said this with so much sincerity in her voice, making Syaoran smile.
Sakura took her cigarette between her fingers again and slowly took a whiff before letting out the smoke through her nose and mouth.
Syaoran caressed the glass of wine before taking another sip of it. "I just do my job. I'm not one of those people who stand there and watch."
Sakura nodded, and then looked at the clock hanging on the wall beside the fridge. It was a quarter to eight PM and she had to go to the Red Light District in two hours.
"I think that you should go. It's almost time for me to go to work and you have the press release tomorrow."
Syaoran nodded and drank the rest of his wine before walking towards the door, along with Sakura. He took his jacket and opened the door. "Thank you for your hospitality, Kinomoto-san."
Sakura gave him a short laugh, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms against her chest. "You auto-invited yourself, Li-san."
Syaoran chuckled shortly as his eyes met hers. As soon as their eyes locked with each other's, they couldn't move, staring the other in the eyes.
After a moment that seemed like forever, Syaoran made the move. He approached her and gently grabbed the back of her neck, pressing his lips against hers in a kiss so passionate.
Sakura, not expecting it, still kissed him back, placing her hands on his cheeks, caressing his face. She could feel the stubble growing in.
Syaoran didn't know why he kissed her, but he concluded that it was because he wanted to. He may not have been her boyfriend or fiancée, but he cared about her; maybe more than himself, despite her being a hotheaded woman that could defend herself from anything that got in her way.
He secretly admired her strength, physical and mental. Maybe it was one of the qualities that made her unique in his eyes, besides her intelligence and looks.
Am I really falling for her?
That was the thought in his mind as he stopped the kiss. He took two steps back, feeling his lips swollen from the kiss. He looked at Sakura, touching her lips, a smile drawn on her face.
"Have a good evening, Li-san," she said as she moved her fingers away from her lips.
Syaoran bowed his head to her. "You too, Kinomoto-san."
Sakura closed the door once she saw Syaoran take the elevator. She pressed her back against the door and placed a hand on her chest, feeling her heart explode inside like fireworks.
A smile was on her face. She was feeling happy, but not without a reason. Maybe Syaoran was the key to have a normal life, and her not being a prostitute anymore.
I don't know if this is a good idea, but it feels right.
She may have been uncertain about a lot of things in her life, but she was sure that this was the first feeling that she ever felt that was actually healthy.
When she knew if this feeling was truly right, she would confess and throw everything away. The Red Lotus and the Tsukishiro twins, so she could free all of her colleagues and close that chapter of her life, once and for all.
She knew that all of her scars would disappear, thanks to Syaoran's kindness and possible love. Sakura made a promise to herself. If this sexual attraction would grow into something romantic, she swore that she would be a better person.
And for sure, Tomoyo would be proud of her, knowing that she had found a way to escape the hell of drugs and prostitution.
A tear of joy escaped her eye, knowing that if her best friend knew of this newfound interest of love, she would have gone crazy with confetti like she used to in elementary school
Sakura missed Tomoyo. She was like a sister to her, so when she was killed, along with her unborn godchild, a part of her shattered. Sakura thought that piece would be broken forever, but now she knows that she has another chance; redemption for her 'sins' and the possible love of a kind, yet handsome, detective.
The morning came faster in Setagaya's Police Department. Eriol and Syaoran looked at the journalists in the conference hall of the department. There were journalist from all the news channel, including Shinomoto Akiho.
Syaoran crossed his arms, feeling nervous. "The new information's something hot. I'm sure that these fucking journalists can't wait to get burned, it seems."
Eriol didn't hear him since he was distracted by looking at Mei-Ling on the other side of the hall, who is talking with her personal secretary; Tachibana Rei.
Mei-Ling was dressed in a black shirt with a white necktie and black pants, with high boots. She briefly looked at him and Syaoran, locking eyes with Eriol. Mei-Ling turned her gaze away from his and continued talking to her secretary.
Syaoran noticed, so he placed a hand on Eriol's shoulder to get his attention. "Are you there, man?" he asked as Eriol removed his hand from his shoulder.
"No, I'm not. I told you that I had a fight with Mei-Ling when she told me that Tomoyo was pregnant…"
Syaoran nodded, having a bit of an idea of his feelings in that moment.
Knowing that his fiancée was pregnant was quite a blow, and he thought that Mei-Ling was lying. Now he had the confirmation from yesterday's events. Even saying sorry to Mei-Ling wouldn't fix things.
"Look, Mei-Ling is stubborn, but I'm sure that she's sorry too for what happened to you two."
Eriol looked at Syaoran and nodded, hoping that he was right. "I guess you're right, but I know that saying sorry won't be enough."
Syaoran looked at him with a grim look on his face. He knew that Mei-Ling built a shell when Jinbao died and had been suffering from depression since then. Though she was his cousin, Mei-Ling was like a younger sister.
It broke his heart to see that his best friend and cousin were in a fight. Mei-Ling's pride was getting between them. The only logical theory that he knew was that Eriol and Mei-Ling were slowly falling for each other.
Since the beginning of the case, the two were getting closer. It wasn't that much of a ring of an alarm because the three of them had been friends forever and often teased each other. But now, Syaoran was sure that the death of their beloved ones had been bringing them closer.
Syaoran looked away from Eriol and saw Touya walking towards him, with a woman at his side. She was a tall brunette dressed in a denim jacket and jeans.
Touya stopped in front of Syaoran and Eriol and greeted them with, "Hiiragizawa, Li."
"Kinomoto," the two detectives greeted in unison.
The woman looked at them with an interested look in her hazel eyes. "I'm guessing one of you are working on the case."
Syaoran nodded. "You must be the woman from New Scotland Yard. Ms. Akizuki has told us about you."
She nodded and extended her hand towards Syaoran. "That's me, Lieutenant North Summers."
Syaoran shook her hand. "Detective Li Syaoran. Nice to meet you, Lieutenant."
North gave him a brief smile and shook Eriol's hand.
"Detective Hiiragizawa Eriol," he introduced himself, studying North cautiously.
The agent of New Scotland Yard came from England, but she had a strong Scottish accent. "You don't seem British, Lieutenant Summers," Eriol pointed out.
Syaoran chuckled, knowing that his partner came from England, and had a light British accent. North, however, doesn't look like one that came from London.
North smiled. "I was born in Glasgow, Scotland. But now I work and live in London"
Eriol nodded, understanding her a bit more now.
Touya crossed his arms against his chest and looked at the two detectives, especially Syaoran. "I don't know if Akizuki told you, but it seems that there were some murders in England that looked like the Monstrum's murders years ago."
Syaoran's amber eyes opened in shock. This was something new to him. The last thing that he knew about the case was that he attacked at dawn and it's objectives were the 'sinners' who went to the pleasure district.
North saw the look in Syaoran's eyes and guessed that he wanted immediate answers. "I've looked at the reports that came to my office. This Monstrum has made a scandal and now it's known worldwide. Even the Interpol in Europe and the FBI in the United States has taken interest in the case."
Eriol felt his throat go dry. Maybe that little piece of information that North had given them could be a piece of the entire puzzle.
"Did you capture the Monstrum when it was wanted in England?"
North shook her head at Eriol's question. "No. That bastard was so sly to leave the country before we could capture it."
Touya saw North clenching her fists, making him conclude that the Monstrum must have done something to someone close to her, like it had with everyone here.
Touya placed a hand on North's shoulder, in a friendly gesture. He wanted to be as friendly as possible with her, since she could help them with the case and end it.
"Are you okay, Lieutenant Summers?" Touya asked softly.
North looked at him and removed his hand from her shoulder. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for the concern, Chief Kinomoto," she said as she put her left hand on her hip and looked at Syaoran. "So, Detective Li, I've heard that you are working solo on this case."
Syaoran shook his head as he crossed his arms against his chest. "It was just a façade to make the media think that I'm working solo, Lieutenant Summers."
North smirked at Syaoran before looking at Touya with the same smirk on her face. "I suppose that the rumors are true then."
Syaoran and Eriol looked at each other with a raised eyebrow. Anger immediately flooded Touya's face at that statement.
"She prefers to be anonymous, and I prefer it too. So please Lieutenant, keep your Scottish mouth shut with your colleagues."
North laughed, making Syaoran and Eriol look at her.
"I'm just making fun of you, Kinomoto-san."
Her laugh was contagious, making the three men join in her laughter.
After a while, North returned serious and looked at Eriol, with a sad look on her face. "I've heard about your fiancée. I'm sorry for your loss, Detective Hiiragizawa."
Eriol looked at her before giving her a slight nod. "I'm fine, Lieutenant. I miss her a lot, but I've had the chance to mourn over my Tomoyo, so let's only focus on the case."
Syaoran knew that Eriol was still hurting, though he didn't want to admit it. He had mourned her in the first days of the case, when he knew that the Monstrum killed her. Syaoran would never forget his face when he saw Tomoyo's mutilated body in that photo. But he was still not over it.
He decide to change the subject before the wound could be open again. "Anyway, the District Attorney will say these things during the press release, Lieutenant?"
North nodded. "We told District Attorney Li this morning, so she could keep the journalists at bay for a while."
Touya felt somewhat admiration towards North, since she had the guts to come here a day before the press release. He must say that this woman was extremely sharp to the eye.
"Please, take a seat. The press release will begin in five minutes."
The group turned their attention to the voice that gave the advice to the journalist and they saw that it was Mei-Ling's secretary.
Syaoran looked at his boss and Lieutenant Summers. "I guess we should go."
Touya, North, Eriol, and Syaoran walked towards the platform to take a seat.
Before taking a seat, Syaoran walked towards Mei-Ling, to see if she was okay, since he knew that she had not slept much in the last few days, because of her fight with Eriol.
Mei-Ling looked at him once they were face to face. "You need something before we go on?" she asked as she adjusted her necktie.
Syaoran shook his head and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You sure you're ok, Mei-Ling? You look tired."
She rolled her eyes and moved his hand away, annoyed. "I got four hours of sleep, so I'm fine."
Syaoran sighed, not expecting such a reaction from her.
He shifted nervously, not sure how to say this next thing. "Why don't you just accept his apology? Is your pride making you so blind that you can't see that he was sincere with you?"
Mei-Ling's ruby eyes widened, and then she looked at Eriol briefly, who is sitting between Touya and North. She felt her heart tighten in her chest, and her breath caught in her throat.
She could admit that she was selfish when Eriol said 'sorry' to her and she didn't accept his apology. Maybe it was the feeling that she was feeling for him that made her act this way towards him, but she didn't want to acknowledge it.
Mei-Ling didn't want to be there this morning, but it was her duty as the district attorney to let the citizens of Tokyo know about the Monstrum.
Mei-Ling turned to Syaoran with a hard look in her eyes. "Take a seat, Detective Li," she said coldly.
Syaoran glared at her, disappointed by her attitude. "As you wish, District Attorney." He walked to his seat to get out of her way. If she would treat him as just a person she worked with, he could do the same.
She shook her head and walked towards the microphones and cameras. An assistant motioned that they would be live in five seconds.
When the red lights came on the camera, she took a deep breath and began to speak to the journalists and cameras. "Citizens of Tokyo, as you know, the Setagaya's Police Department is working non-stop on the case of the Monstrum. We have some new information, thanks to an anonymous witness that provided the anonymous helper of Detective Li Syaoran."
Syaoran looked at the floor, glad that Mei-Ling never mentioned Sakura's name during these press releases. He really did want to keep her protected, along with their family name.
Touya closed his eyes, grateful that Sakura had decided to remain anonymous for this case, so she wouldn't increase the danger in her life, since she was already in danger working in the Red Light District. North looked at him with a raised brow, confused by his reaction.
"It seems that the Monstrum has made an appearance overseas, years ago. To confirm that, an agent of New Scotland Yard, Lieutenant North Summers came yesterday to report this news. She came from London to give support to our Police force and figure out who the Monstrum is. Jack the Ripper II was the name of the Monstrum in England." Mei-Ling closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before speaking again. "We have found that our murderer kills at dawn as well."
Gasps and whispers filled the room, while the journalists wrote everything in their notes.
"And we discovered, thanks to Doctor Nishimura Minami, that one of its old victims, Daidouji Tomoyo, was two months pregnant."
Eriol closed his eyes, still shocked by the fact that his fiancée was pregnant when she was killed. Other gasps filled the room.
"I highly suggest that the citizens be careful. The Monstrum might have collaborators. The Setagaya's department already has two suspects, which we are not going to reveal until the case is closed."
Mei-Ling rose her hand, signalizing the journalists to ask their questions. Many hands rose at her permission and she looked at them. She spotted Shinomoto Akiho raising her hand and saw a wicked look in her eyes.
What a bitch.
She gave permission to a male journalist next to Akiho.
"Has the Setagaya's Department interrogated Mr. Mizumi's wife about his murder?" he asked.
Mei-Ling felt disgusted at that question. Many people had died, and the journalist still only cared about Mizumi Katsuhito's murder?
"Not yet, but we plan to interrogate Mizumi Kasumi as soon as possible. Be assured of that."
Other hands rose, and Mei-Ling gave permission to an old woman sitting next to the entrance.
"Is it revealed why the Monstrum kills all these people?"
Mei-Ling shook her head at the question. "We think that he likes to kill the 'sinners' who go and work in the Red Light District of Tokyo, but for the reason, we are still at a dead end."
Other hands rose, and Mei-Ling's eye fell on Akiho. She saw that she had an angry look on her face. Suddenly, she remembered that this journalist didn't accept that her questions weren't answered.
Sighing, Mei-Ling gave in, though she knew that her question would not be answered.
Akiho rose from her seat, with a smirk on her face, the angry look completely gone. "Could we please know the name of the anonymous partner of Detective Li?"
Syaoran and Touya's eyes widened at her question, while the room was filled with gasps and whispers, wondering if the woman is deaf.
Mei-Ling chewed the inner part of her cheek and her eyebrows arched in an angry expression. "I think you attended the past press releases, Shinomoto-san. You should know that – "
Mei-Ling stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked behind her. It was Syaoran. He motioned for her to move away from the cameras and let him answer Akiho.
Mei-Ling nodded as she took two steps back so Syaoran could walk towards the microphones.
"My mysterious partner prefers to remain anonymous, so the identity will not be revealed. You should pay more attention when the district attorney speaks or review the old press releases."
Akiho groaned at his answer and tightened her grip around the pen, feeling an unstoppable desire to strangle Syaoran in front of everyone.
But she had better plans, even if that meant that her career as a journalist would be ruined, so she tried to stay calm.
"Why? Don't tell me that you have feelings for your anonymous partner. C'mon, Detective Li, you're handsome and all, but we all know that you're just a cold hearted bastard."
Mei-Ling felt her anger rise in her chest, hearing Akiho insult Syaoran. You bitch! How dare you?!
Syaoran didn't answer her, because her words were poison as arsenic and he knew not to fall into her trick. "You should know to have some respect over a Detective. And, there's only one cold hearted bastard in this room." Silence fell in the room. "And that's you, Shinomoto Akiho!" Syaoran pointed a finger towards Akiho.
She remained motionless, letting the notes and pen fall to the floor. She clenched her fists, feeling her anger rise. Akiho bit her lower lip, feeling the adrenaline rush due to the embarrassment. She reached a hand into her jacket, pulling out a gun, and pointed it towards Syaoran.
Gasps of shock and fear filled the room once again. "Peccatorum omnium est morietur!" and then she pulled the trigger several times.
Syaoran was quick to dodge the bullets.
However, the bullets hit Touya's shoulder, making him groan in pain. He placed a hand on the part that was hit by the bullets.
North stood from her seat and ran towards Akiho, feeling the need to capture the journalist, but Akiho shot her foot.
North fell on the floor, groaning in pain. She looked at the agents in the room. "Capture her!" she shouted.
The agents ran towards Akiho.
Akiho walked in between the rowdy crowd, as they ran towards the exit, and shot towards the agents to keep them away.
Each agent fell, covering the white floor with blood.
Touya and Eriol stood from their seat and walked towards Syaoran.
Syaoran looked at the injury on Touya's shoulder. "Are you ok, Chief?"
Touya nodded and then looked at Eriol and Syaoran. "This was unexpected, but we need to stay calm. Hiiragizawa, take the District Attorney out of here, immediately!"
Eriol nodded. "Roger that!" Then he nearly ran towards Mei-Ling and gently took her forearm, pulling them towards the exit.
Sakura sat on the couch of her living room, hands on her mouth. Tears rolled down her cheeks, shocked that her brother got shot by Shinomoto Akiho.
She was seeing the press release on television and didn't expect Akiho to have a gun on her. Sakura dried her tears with the palm of her hand furiously. "You heartless bitch!" she shouted towards the television before switching it off.
Sakura ran towards the entrance, put on her boots, and took the keys of her apartment. She looked at another pair of keys.
Sakura bit her lower lip as she looked at them. They were the keys of her motorcycle that she hadn't rode in years, before she began to work for the Red Lotus. It was just in the parking lot rotting. But, this was an emergency and she needed to go to Setagaya's Department as soon as possible, to see if Syaoran, Touya and Eriol were okay.
"Fuck it."
With determination in her eyes, she grabbed the keys and headed out of her apartment.
She ran to the parking lot and saw her motorcycle beside a red car. It still looked new even after years of disuse.
Sakura hopped on and cranked it up. She drove towards the Setagaya's Police Department. In her heart, she prayed that her brother would be okay.
She couldn't lose him, but she couldn't lose Syaoran either.
Please be okay, I'm coming!
Akiho continued to shoot at the agents who tried to capture her. She saw that Eriol and Mei-Ling were trying to open the doors of the emergency exit. Little did they know, she had locked it from behind. A smirk appeared on her lips as she pointed her gun towards Eriol and shot.
The bullet hit Eriol's chest and he groaned, falling to the floor.
Mei-Ling's eyes widened, before she kneeled to the floor and took his shoulders gently. "NO! Please, Eriol, don't!" she shouted before placing her ear against his chest. Eriol was unmoving.
Her vision blurred, tears falling freely down her cheeks as she sobbed loudly. She felt a sense of remorse and pain in her chest, like a reminder of the events of Jinbao's death.
Syaoran looked at the scene with wide eyes and then he looked at Akiho. Seeing red, he took his gun and began to shoot at her, but she dodged the bullets easily.
Touya grabbed his wrist, making him stop. "Don't shoot, moron! We need to keep her alive!"
Syaoran did as he asked and lowered his gun, then he saw that Akiho approached North, who was lying on the floor.
North looked at her with rage in her eyes and a sarcastic smile on her face. She laughed curtly at her. "Detective Li is right. You're such a pitiful woman with a cold heart."
Akiho kicked her face with her heel, an expressionless look on her face as she watched North bleed out.
"You came here for nothing, Lieutenant Summers. You came here to help, but you're too weak to do anything."
North couldn't speak or move as the lady continued to assault her.
"You're so pathetic. You want to help, but you can't help anyone. I know your backstory. Your parents and little brother were killed by the Monstrum and you couldn't help them because you were in Oxford."
North felt a sense of nausea rising in her stomach. How could she know her backstory?
Then, she remembered that she was a journalist and could find out everything.
"This are reserved information, Miss Shinomoto!"
Akiho kicked her again, scarring the woman's face. North rolled on the floor, with a hand on her bruised lips.
Syaoran hated to just stand there and watch North receive a beating, so he had to do something without drawing any attention. He took the handcuffs from his belt and slowly walked towards Akiho.
Touya noticed and gasped. "Li! Come back here!" he whispered, but Syaoran didn't listen as he walked in stealth mode towards Akiho, while she continued to look at North.
He watched Akiho look at North with a fake smile on her lips. "Don't talk, your Scottish accent is annoying to me."
North spat the blood out of her mouth, feeling pathetic under the woman's patronizing glare.
Syaoran arrived behind Akiho and grabbed her wrists, pulling them behind her as he binded them with his handcuffs. "You're under arrest for murder, Shinomoto Akiho."
Akiho laughed loudly. "Oh no, the game has just began!"
Sakura arrived in front of the Setagaya's Police Department and got off the motorcycle. She saw people running out of the building, scared and screaming. Journalist were speaking to the cameras, talking about what happened inside the building.
Not the least bit interested, Sakura ran towards the entrance and saw that the building was empty, until she looked at the floor and saw blood everywhere.
Sakura followed the traces of blood and spotted dead bodies everywhere. She presumed that they were some of Touya's agents inside the building.
She looked up and saw that a door was still open. She heard some voices talking and followed suit. Sakura put her back against the door, listening to a woman with a Scottish accent talking about some reserved information and then she heard her brother whispering to someone.
She remained still for a while and waited for the right moment to enter.
"You're under arrest for murder, Shinomoto Akiho." Sakura recognized Syaoran's voice immediately. He was angry.
Then a laugh filled the room.
Sakura walked inside slowly and quietly.
"Oh no, the game has just begun!" Akiho abruptly turned towards Syaoran, catching him off guard, and striking his face with her hand-cuffed hands.
Syaoran grabbed his cheek, feeling blood pour from his cheek from her nails. His immediate response was to attack back, but he remembered her insinuation of him being a heartless man.
Akiho raised a brow and a smile appeared on her face. "Are you afraid, Detective? Or you suddenly don't hit women?"
Sakura came behind Akiho, grabbing her neck to get the woman's attention. The Journalist growled, turning to Sakura.
Syaoran and Touya looked at her, a surprised look evident on their faces. "Sakura?!" they said simultaneously.
"You!" Instead of answering, Sakura threw her fist at the woman's face before kicking at her. Akiho was forced to take a few steps back.
Sakura looked at her fiercely, not feeling the need to talk. She wanted the woman dead for shooting at her brother like that.
"You shouldn't have shot at my brother, stupid journalist!" she shouted angrily.
She ran towards the lady, tackling her as she continue to mercilessly punch the woman.
Ready to land another hit to the woman's face, Sakura almost made it, but she felt a something strong pull at her arms, moving her away from the woman.
"Enough, Sakura!"
Akiho saw this as an opportunity to flee after kicking the gun away from her.
Touya muttered profanities under his breath as he walked towards North, still holding his shoulder. He offered her his hand.
"Are you okay, Miss North?" he asked, showing a bit of concern for her.
Touya could see the blood pooling around her foot.
North took his hand and looked at him, nodding. "In pain, but yes, I'll be fine. Thank you, Chief Kinomoto."
Syaoran released Sakura from his arms after she calmed down. Sakura didn't know what had taken over her body to react that way. She just knew that she wanted to find her brother and Syaoran safe and alive.
Luckily, she arrived on time to not miss anything.
"I'm sorry, but we needed her alive. She might take us to the Monstrum," Syaoran apologized to Sakura.
Sakura looked at him and nodded. Then, the pair saw Mei-Ling with an unconscious Eriol in her arms.
The two approached them, hearing Mei-Ling's sobs as she begged him to open his eyes.
Then he coughed, and Mei-Ling stopped suddenly, feeling a sense of relief in her heart. Eriol opened his eyes and then unbuttoned his shirt, revealing that he had a bulletproof vest on.
Syaoran shook his head with a smile on his face, forgetting that Eriol always kept a bulletproof vest on, even if he was inside the office.
"Damn it, I didn't expect that bullet to come," he said sarcastically before Mei-Ling hugged him tightly.
Eriol was motionless first, due to shock, but he hugged her back after realizing the woman embracing him.
"Thank you for protecting me, Eriol," she said brokenly against his chest.
Author Note: Whoops! That was a long chapter folks! Sorry if it was too long ahah xD But I hope that you enjoyed it :D And damn…so much blood and violence, I did a good choice rating this fic M xD
See you soon :3
- Anya
