Dear phoenix 220
it is not a good idea to ask people to look for mistakes when you know you don't read over your chapters properly.
The mistake that was mentioned in the AN in the previous chapter was reference to a little spoiler that i thought was so obvious people were going to start flagging it is an error when it was intentional. Then no one got it but found plenty of silly things to point out. Everyone was really nice about it though. In my defence I do write the chapters in a couple of hours and post them pretty much straight away. Not many other writers belt out 4000 words a day on average. - last chapter was over 5000 and it was written in one sitting. My fingers tend to fly over the keys and i've noticed that me couldn't's sometimes become coulds which of course makes thinks really weirdly.
As I tell my students, I've no time to be perfect, i'm too busy being awesome ;-)
Seriously thanks for all the little notes and i've gone over the last chapter, fixing what i could find as well as spending an hour this morning reading over the first two chapters again and betaing them. I did get an offer for a beta reader, there was obviously a few paragraphs that went wrong in chap 5 but i don't play well with others - I wouldn't want to wait for someone to check it over and then post it after reading their notes over and making the changes - that time could be spent writing another chapter!
Anyway - author's note is well too long for such a small chapter.
Love phoe
xxxxxx
Chapter 7
Ichigo slipped into Septimo's area, surprised at the large warehouse he walked into. There was a low white building off to the right but most of it was a high ceiling space with large roller doors on the back wall. There was a space surrounded by opaque plastic with bright lights just to the left of the door and Ichigo smirked, recognising the farm for what it was for, subtle.
Whoever it had been that had preceded him in the room had vanished making him think they had probably disappeared into the building which was probably the offices for the division. He headed to the door, pulling it open. Another white corridor was in front of him with several doors down its length. He started to think that this was not a good idea and he really had no business poking his nose around another division's base but that gave him pause. He was thinking it was rude to disrespect another division like he was still in his real job. His assignment was to find proof of what was going on here and this area would contain the shipping records. He walked past the first door which was open slightly and saw a kitchenette with a table in it. Three people sat round it but they were looking the other way so he quickly limped away, his crutches making no sound on the carpeted floor. He paused outside each door, moving on if there were sounds of life but by door seven there was no sound and he decided to risk it, putting his hand out and turning the knob. The door clicked open and he smirked again. The smirk didn't last long as he'd manage to find the closet, some basic office supplies along one shelved wall and some cleaning things on the other. He rolled his eyes before closing the door again and continuing on. The corridor turned a sharp corner and the door right at the angle was also silent so he opened it carefully, sliding in and closing it behind him. A large office lay in front of him, three large filing cabinets as well as a bookcase with ledgers and binders. A computer sat on the large desk but when he approached it he saw it was locked with someone with the last name Sanderwicci. He hadn't heard that name yet but he wanted to be long gone when they returned. He scanned over the titles on the bookcase and grabbed down the most recent dated ledger. A quick scan gave him not only a set of dates and customer names, but it was signed at the bottom of every section by S Aizen, who's signature was very neat and graceful and easily identified. He grabbed his phone out and snapped a couple of pictures of the pages before putting the book back.
He started to open the filing cabinets, wincing at the squeal of the metal wheels and the thump as they closed. The first one was mainly orders and things like that, not invoices so he went onto the next which again was disappointing, employee records and stuff. The bottom drawer on that one was padlocked shut which was very annoying but he wasn't a proficient pick lock, his partner would have managed it fine; Ikkaku had a very colourful background.
The third cabinet had some interesting invoices and a rather nice collection of maps, one of their local areas with large circles in different colours. The key told him it was the zones different people covered and Ichigo got a quick snap of it as well. He was happy he had enough damning evidence and it was time to get out of there. He closed the drawer as quietly as he could before lifting his crutches and turning.
He froze as he made eye contact with the woman at the door. She had a knowing smirk on her lips, one eye brow raised as she looked him up and down. "Well, I didn't think I'd be meeting the famous Shiro like this. According to everybody else you are the new miracle employee, the golden boy. You seem a bit tarnished from here. Now I could ask you what you think you're doing in my office but I think it would be much more fun is Segunda asked you nicely."
Ichigo paled, not wanting to go back to that division ever again. The woman was very sure of herself even if she was quite small and unassuming looking. She was dressed like a little doll, her dark purple hair pulled back on the sides to flow in waves on the side of her head and her baby doll dress had puffy sleeves. The outfit was complete with striped tights going into Louis heeled boots and she crossed her legs as she stood at the door.
"Nothing to say for yourself? Did you think no one would notice you just coming into our division and poking around? We might not have the tech that Sexta does but we do have security. So, it is up to you if you come along quietly or if I call for the many large men with guns that are on this corridor."
"Not all the men on the corridor are yours Cirucci." Ichigo could breathe when he heard that voice, Grimmjow's husky tones travelling to him.
"Perhaps not but rescue quad or not he is going up in front of Aizen, he has been poking his nose in places he should have left alone."
"On my orders, he is not to be touched."
"Oh I think not Sexta, not this time. You can't always protect your little boys."
Ichigo couldn't see what was happening in the corridor or who was there but he doubted Grimmjow was there alone.
"Oh look, now it's even, boys can you go in and subdue Shiro please? He is taking a little trip to Second division." The woman looked back at Ichigo with an evil smile darkening her face. Three large men entered the room, one with a holster in sight but the other two had jackets on so Ichigo didn't know if they were armed too. He readied himself but they came at him all at one, Ichigo only managing to take one down before one landed a clean kick right into his knee, Ichigo going down with a scream. His eyes instantly filled with tears but he heard the one he'd hit swearing loudly at him which made him smirk.
The next kick was to his head and it took his sight, the darkness overwhelming him.
Grimmjow managed to get into the room just in time for Ichigo to hit the ground with a cry and the younger man didn't look at him before he was knocked out. Grimmjow was furious and it was only Rage and Nnoitra holding him back that stopped him tackling the men who had hurt Ichigo.
"Cirucci, he's not to be harmed."
"Bit late big guy. I'm sure Segunda will play nice."
Grimmjow backed out of the room as two of the men lifted Ichigo, holding him by his shirt shoulders and his feet. Ulquiorra stood in front of Grimmjow as Ichigo was taken away, the smaller man not happy about the latest development.
"Grimmjow you need to calm down, you cannot help him if you are angry. You need to get Primero and Octavo, anyone who you think can help and we need to organise this. Aizen will not care that he was useful once; they are going to know he is not legit as soon as she tells him what happened. We need to get him out before anything really bad happens."
Grimmjow looked at him, suspicion written all over his face.
"For fuck's sake Grimmjow I'm a hacker, I know everything." Ulquiorra rarely swore but Grimmjow's stupidity seemed to bring it out of him. The big blue eyes blinked for a moment before he gave himself a mental shake and nodded. Rage and Nnoitra released him when they felt him relax in their grip.
"Right, we need to organise, Aizen will call a meeting as soon as he hears about this so we need to move quickly. Back in my office, with everyone ASAP."
Nnoitra nodded, saying he'd get Szayel and Ulquiorra said he'd drag Starrk and his lot along. They evenly matched the rest of the division officers and since they had the Primero hopefully their word would carry more weight.
Grimmjow watched his friends disappear off, frowning as he realised Ulquiorra was not included in that group but before he followed he was slammed up against the wall, his large lover holding him by one shoulder with his forearm pressed against Grimmjow's chest. They were pretty evenly matched in size, Rage being an inch taller but Grimmjow carrying a tad more muscle.
"What the fuck is Ichigo doing here?"
iiiiii
Ichigo woke slowly; his knee screaming at him but his head was too fuzzy to make sense of that at first. He looked around and instantly recognised the cell he was in, the noise was missing but this was the room he'd spent his first night in here with a constant sound keeping him awake. It was horrible but compared to the next night where he'd been in the dead pool it was easy.
He was lying on a mattress on the floor and his splint was missing, as was his phone he discovered with a quick feel of his jeans. He knew he was in serious trouble now and wished he had a way of getting in touch with his support unit but unless he could get his heart to stop he was on his own. He wondered briefly if Grimmjow would help him out, he had come into Septimo's base for him after all but once Aizen saw the pictures on the phone surely he'd be fucked.
The door opened and the old man appeared again, a bright smile under his bushy moustache. He stood fairly short for a man but he had an old man stoop so he possibly used to stand taller. He was surprisingly muscular for someone of his supposed age and he certainly wasn't a kind old grandpa figure.
"I knew I'd get you back here Shiro, think a trip to the dead pool will be the least of your worries this time. Aizen has to okay some of my methods but a general level punishment for being nosy is within my allowance. I believe you remember Nirgge?"
Ichigo's eyes widened as the tall blond man walked into the room, his hands the size of hams clutching a long coil of black leather.
"I believe we'll start with seven, see how we go since that is the division you spied on. Then perhaps six more, for betraying Grimmjow's good trust. And of course ten as a finish since Diez will be joining us as soon as Aizen gives me the nod. Nirgge, try to keep him awake?" Baraggan stepped out of the room leaving the two men alone. Ichigo closed his eyes as he felt his t-shirt get ripped off him, laying on his front as he knew he couldn't stand to fight with his knee.
iiiiiiii
"Renji, calm down, I brought him here for you." Grimmjow held his hands up, taking his lover's wrists as he spoke.
His words shocked the red head who loosened his grip a bit. "What the hell? Why would you do that, he looks like shit. I heard what Shiro went through and I was damn glad it wasn't you! You have no damn right to put him through that, why would you?"
"Because you wanted him, you always wanted him even after two years of me. I brought him here to make you happy; I didn't exactly think I'd fall for him too." Grimmjow was screaming back at Renji, his hold turning tighter.
Renji released his aggressive hold until he was holding his lover more tenderly. "You've fallen for him? In what way?"
"As in I brought him here for you and now I want us to have him, if he'd like that."
"We need to get him first. You have a hell of a lot of grovelling to do to make up for this."
Grimmjow nodded before following behind his lover, dashing to his headquarters and opening to the door to find they were nearly the last ones in. Ulquiorra and Starrk entered moments later, Lilinette and Yumichika following after. Grimmjow was shocked to see another female at the back of them with an entourage of girls behind her. Tercera, or Tier rarely got involved in what she dubbed the 'macho nonsense' but she'd clearly deemed this situation different.
They hadn't started before Grimmjow's phone sounded off, at the same time as every other senior officer in the room. Each one knew it was the demand for an urgent meeting that would involve all of them. Grimmjow looked around and saw that he had a large majority of people on his side and he could see this possible going in his favour. He decided to take no chances and call in even more. He lifted his phone, stepping to the side for a moment before pressing the call button.
"Captain Kuchiki? It's now; it has to be right now. If he's not got it then tough, you have to come get him."
He turned to the others to explain the situation. "We don't have long, I know your all hear because I've asked you to help Shiro but there is something you need to know first, he's an undercover police officer who is here to try and help us bring Aizen down. He's an old colleague of Rage's until he got too undercover and had to leave his job. Rage cut his ties with the force and I brought Shiro in to try and get the fuck away from this place. Anyone who stands with me has a good chance of coming away cleaner but I can't make any promises."
"We're here to help the kid, any benefits will come or they won't. Think we'd better not keep Aizen waiting." Starrk gestured to the door but he was the first to leave, followed quickly by Lilinette. Yumichika hung back for a moment, not knowing if he should follow or not. Ulquiorra went to Grimmjow to help the timid now ex-whore.
"Grimmjow, do you have a key to Ichigo's rooms?" The bigger man held his keys out, finding the one quickly before removing it. He knew the other wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. He went back to Yumichika, holding the key out. "Go back to Shiro's room, stay there until one of us comes for you. Lock the door alright?" Yumichika nodded with his eyes wide, taking the key before scarpering. The men headed to the main offices, presenting a solid, unified front and hoping that it would be enough.
Aizen sat behind his desk, his face blank as more than half of his senior officers walked in together along with several of their subordinates, something that should have not happened. "Gentlemen, this is a meeting for senior officers only, please ask your people to leave."
Grimmjow stepped to the front knowing this was his party. "Sorry Aizen, not this time. We want Shiro returned to us."
"Us? Why are other divisions involved in your little departmental issue?"
"Because the man in question made a mark quickly. And he doesn't deserve whatever Baraggan can come up with." Starrk stepped level with Grimmjow, standing elbow to elbow and gazing at his superior with a clear gaze.
"So if one of Yammy's men was caught poking around your main offices, you'd just let them go? I have proof that Shiro was collecting evidence against Septimo and myself, how can you support him?"
"Where is he? Why is he not here?" Grimmjow had noted that it was only the other senior officers, minus Yammy in the room.
"He is in Segunda's area and he will stay there until we have found out exactly what has been going on."
The men were told to take a seat at the large meeting table and the subordinates stood behind their superiors, Renji standing between Nnoitra and Grimmjow so he could be near them both. Aizen pulled a phone out and placed it in the centre in front of him, talking as he spoke about the photos that were contained within. Grimmjow caught Ulquiorra hiding his own phone under the table, glancing down at it discretely. The small black-haired man had social issues and it was normal for him to fiddle with something at meetings but Grimmjow wondered what he was really up to. After a minute or so he put the phone down between his legs and steepled his fingers in front of him.
"Can we see what the boy was taking pictures of? He might have legitimate reasons for what he was doing."
Aizen picked the phone up, swiping a couple of things in and turning the phone around, pressing the album icon. The album came up blank, the crowd looking among themselves before looking up at their boss. It was Nnoitra that took the shot.
"Eh, there's nothing there boss."
Aizen snatched the phone around, frowning down at it as he swiped at the screen some more. "It's all gone, everything including the contact details. How?"
Grimmjow spotted the slight smirk on Cuarto's face, a very tiny upturn in his lips that would be negligible with most people but in the emotionless man, it was like he was jumping up and down.
"With no evidence against the man why are we here?" Tier spoke up next, her deep voice carrying over the silence.
"Cirucci still saw him in her office, in the filing cabinet. And she showed me pictures on the phone of things in there."
"Was there any evidence that this was Shiro's phone? Is it possible that Cirucci was trying to frame Shiro after catching him in Septimo's area? I'm sure Shiro had a plausible reason for being there, especially after just uncovering Charlotte's indiscretion." Ulquiorra managed to keep a straight face when he spoke and although he glanced quickly at Grimmjow he maintained his usual pose.
"Segunda, have Shiro brought here, he is needed to answer a few questions."
Baraggan shifted in his seat, looking around him and shrinking under Starrk and Tier's gaze. "I don't think that will be a good idea sir, he has already began his punishment."
Renji reached out and grabbed Grimmjow's upper arm, his fingers digging in firmly, Grimmjow tensing at the words.
"Grimm, Yammy's not here." Nnoitra reached out and gripped Grimmjow's forearm, remembering what Shiro's next step was to be. Grimmjow leaped out of his seat, banging his hands flat on the table as he stared down at Baraggan, his face pulled back in a feral snarl.
"Where the fuck is he? Is Diez there?" Grimmjow snarled out loud as Baraggan's eyes dropped.
"Sexta, we have not finished here," Aizen shouted out, standing from his own seat as he realised that control had slipped from him.
"Rage, go and get him please, Tesla will go with you." Nnoitra spoke to his men and they both nodded, heading for the door when Tier sent two of her girls as well.
The room remained quiet until the door banged open, Rage living up to his name as he stormed into the room, blood splattering his face and clothes. He threw something onto the table, more red droplets flying from the black object as the whip landed in the centre.
"Where is Shiro?" Grimmjow turned to his lover, panic officially set at the state of the man in front of him.
"I can't move him, he needs medical assistance first. I left Tesla and Mila Rose with him to ensure nothing else happens. Emilou persuaded Yammy to cease his attempts."
Grimmjow let out a breath at Renji's words, knowing the weapon toting woman had a way of getting people around to her way of thinking. He didn't like the sound of Ichigo not being able to be moved.
There was loud sound outside the building, a crashing noise that had Aizen running to the window. The usual composed man visibly panicked at what he saw. Starrk walked up to the window and stood next to him, leaning an elbow on his shoulder.
"Do you know what that is?" Starrk watched him shake his head, smirking down at him. "That is the end."
No this isn't the end, not for us anyway. and no mistake hunts this time, any that you find are just my silly oops and might be sorted at some point. If there is something that is annoying let me know though.
Review please! Ichigo might finally get to meet Renji again next chapter.
