Author's Notes: Well, sorry the update didn't come as fast. The theatre I work and act at has been frazzled since we're attending a Theatre Conference next week. If I don't manage to wrap this story up by Wednesday, it might be a day or two before I can update. I'm usually pretty busy at the conference, but there will be those times in the hotel room where I can just sit down and write.
Chapter Seven
Noises slurred around his ears like bugging flies. The sounds sounded distant and muffled at first, and maybe they were. Slowly, the sound became louder and louder, as if someone was turning the volume up with a knob. Ranma's head snapped up. Dirty water rolled down the side of his cheek. Ranma kicked the metal trash cans off of him and looked around. His eyes lay on the knife in his arm.
"Akane." Ranma said. He grabbed the hilt of the dagger, but it throbbed. Moaning, he released the hilt and stopped. How am I suppose to get this out? He snapped his fingers, "Dr. Tofu is a mad genuis!"
...
"Oh my God," Dr. Tofu gasped when Ranma walked into the office. "Ranma what happened to you?" Ranma explained the whole situation to Dr. Tofu. "I see. Uhm- well, I'll see what I can do. Go sit over on that stool." Ranma did as he was told and watched as Dr. Tofu approached with a doctor mask on. He flicked on a bright light. He then snapped some surgical gloves on. "Okay, well I can't promise how much this will hurt." Dr. Tofu paused for a moment, adjusting his glasses, "Do you want me to knock you out?"
"No." Ranma told him. "Just do it, Doctor. Rip it out and stitch it up." Ranma bit his lip as Dr. Tofu nodded. He lowered his hand to it. Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump. The sound of his thudding heart reminded him of Akane's racing heart. Just then, a bell rang out. Dr. Tofu stopped, hand on hilt. Ranma and Dr. Tofu looked expectantly at the door.
"Hello?" Ranma's face drained of color when he heard that sweet tone. Kasumi. Dr. Tofu's eyes lit up as Kasumi stolled into the room. She gasped when she saw Ranma's arm. "Ranma? What happened?"
"I... tripped..." Ranma said, nervously eyeing Dr. Tofu's hand on the hilt of the knife. It tightened. "OWWWWW!" Ranma screamed when Dr. Tofu ripped the knife out unexpectantly, eyes stick locked on Kasumi. Ranma reached over to a rolley tray and grabbed some napkins, applying pressure to the blood gushing wound. "Hey... Dr. Tofu... stitches..." Ranma said, wincing as he pushed against the wound.
"Kasumi, what brings you here?" Dr. Tofu asked, slowly. He threw the knife into the sink, while Kasumi eyed Ranma's arm.
"I... came to return your medicine book." Kasumi replied, pulling a book from her basket. "But, I see Ranma needs stitches." Dr. Tofu turned to see Ranma holding a napkin to his arm. "I'll just set the book here..."
"And leave." Ranma eyed her. She nodded and waved good bye. Dr. Tofu stood there and waved like an idiot for minutes after she left. "Yo, Doctor! I need stitches! Akane needs me!"
"Right." Dr. Tofu turned back to him. He threaded a needle and then brought it to Ranma's arm. "Here we go." Ranma looked away and bit his lip.
...
Akane was now tied up and leaned back against the wall with rope. Her ankles were tied together and a rope ran around her upper torso. Her wrists were also tied together. She struggled every now and then, but just sat back and tried to listen to the many sounds of the bell tower.
"Who is she?" Made it's way to Akane's ear. She perked up, realizing it was Anna's voice.
"My brother's fiancee," Came a response. Drager. They were through an open doorway. The opposite side of the wall Akane was leaned again. Her brow furrowed together. "We're going to take him down when he finally comes to get her."
"What makes you so sure Ranma will show up?" Anna asked, sounding doubtful.
"Oh, trust me, he will." There was an edge in Drager's voice that made Akane's nerves tingle. "Anna, we're both expirenced killers. We'll easily be able to take Ranma down easily."
"And what will we do with... her?" Anna asked.
"Leave her to me." Drager told her. Akane bit her lip. Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump. Akane leaned her head back against the cool brick wall. She could see the rusted over bell and wished it would ring out. She wanted all sound around her to be drowned out. She wanted Ranma to burst through the door. She wanted him to cut her lose and send Drager back where he belonged.
"I have to think of plan," Akane whispered to herself. "I can't just wait for someone to come and save me." Akane began wiggling, her teeth clenched together. The ropes burned and she could feel it grinding into her arms. "Well, that's a no-go..." She told herself. Akane then began working on trying to stand up. Since everything was tied together she would have to work up momentum. Akane swung onto her back, planted her feet firmly and began sitting up. Once she did that, she fell forward onto her knees, then hopped to her feet. "Sucess." Akane began looking around for an exit. She then listened to make sure Anna nor Drager were coming. "That was some pretty lose security." She joked to herself and began hopping slowly and quietly towards the door.
Once she was half-way across, she grew tired. She hunched forward a bit, taking in a deep breath. Almost there... almost there... Akane told herself. She leapt forward again. I wonder where Ranma is... Akane finally asked herself. Her mind reeled outward to that situation. He did get hit with that knife... Akane leapt forward again. She became unbalanced for a moment, but saved herself from falling. I need something to cut me free from these ropes. Akane thought. Her eyes darted everywhere. Even up to the rusty bell. There were only crates, barrels, and dust. Nothing sharp. She huffed and jumped again. It doesn't matter. I'll get out of these ropes once I get outside. Akane leapt again. She was very close to the door at this point. Sweat was beaded up on her forehead, her brow furrowed as she neared her goal.
Just then, she was knocked over. She slammed to the ground, letting out a moan as she did so. Her eyes widend as she looked up and saw Drager leaned over her. He had an eyebrow cocked up at her. "Did you really think you could escape that easy?" Akane heard more footsteps and then saw Anna. Her black hair was basically defying gravity.
"Oh, I've never seen you this close up." Anna smiled. Her chestnut brown eyes were abosultely stunning and her smile was breath taking. "You're a cute one." Akane struggled against the ropes, but they only burned her more. "Drager, sweetie, let's put her on the crates." So the two did. They then shared a kiss right infront of Akane. She looked away, grossed out by the whole image.
"Drager, why are you doing this?" Akane surprised herself when she heard her voice echo. It was firm sounding. Her eyes now burned down on Drager. His arms were draped around Anna's body. "What happened to Ranma? What's going on?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Drager released Anna from his grasp and held his hand up. "What do you want to know the most?"
"Only one thing?" Akane asked. Drager nodded. Great, Akane thought to herself, what can I ask him that's important. What happened to Ranma? No- surely he wouldn't know what happened after Ranma fell from the rooftops. Why is he doing this? No- I got it. I'll ask him- Akane's thoughts were cut short as Drager slapped her across her face. She let out a cry as she fell from the crates and onto the ground.
"Hurry up!" Drager growled, his eyes full of intense anger. He set her back up on the crate. A nasty purple bruise was already swelling on her cheek bone where he had striked.
"Where were you?" Akane asked, wincing as her cheekbone throbbed. Drager cocked an eyebrow up. "You said you had gotten out of the insane asylum five years ago. What did you do those five years before you found Ranma?" Drager's eyes shimmered. He lowered his hand, it clenched in a fist. "Tell me." Akane surprised herself again with her voice. "What were you doing, Drager?" He raised his hand and struck her across the face again. She managed to stay balanced, but she could feel more throbbing on the whole right side of her face. "Tell me." She hissed.
"Killing mom!" A silence filled the room. Anna watched on, her hand clapped over his red lips, her eyes wide. Akane could feel her voice shrink in her throat. Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump.
"What?" Akane managed to whisper. Drager glared at her. He grabbed Akane by her arms and lifted her in the air. The ropes burned her more. Drager stared intensly into her eyes.
"I killed mom." He said, behind clenched teeth. He threw Akane back. She fell onto the crates, actually breaking through them. She let out a cough as dust rose. She just lay there in the wreckage. Her body was aching.
Ranma, She squeezed her eyes shut, where are you? Just then, Drager pulled her out of the wreckage and threw her across the ground. She went rolling, but once she stopped, she moaned. Akane had been hurt before. She'd ached, she'd keep up a fight... but all she wanted to do right now was lay there. Her cheek throbbed, she was burned all over from the ropes, she was in so much pain.
"I killed her!" Came that phrase she remembered when they went out for ice cream. Akane's eyes popped open. She glanced over at Drager, who was pacing back and forth. Anna was no where to be seen.
"Wait," Akane rasped. She pulled herself up despite her aches. "When you said, 'I killed her' last week... you weren't talking about the little girl were you?"
"No!" Drager turned to her. He stopped his pacing. "Why would I care she's dead? It's been seventeen years! I killed my mother!" It echoed through Akane's mind. "Ranma's mom... she was my mom first! She's dead!" Akane's eyes widend and a gasp escaped from her lips, which had a cut on them.
"How long has it been? It surely didn't take five years to kill her!" Akane pressed. Drager clenched his fists so much, his knuckles popped. "Why would you do that! She wasn't just your mother! She was Ranma's too!"
"OF COURSE SHE WAS!" Drager exploded. He flew across the room and pulled Akane to her feet. He then lifted her up, even with his face, effortlessly. Her feet no longer touched the ground. "I lived with her the first three years after my granted approval to leave. I loved her and she loved me. That's how I found out about Ranma. She talked fondly about him! Told me that he was off on a trip with Daddy! The fourth year I plotted her death, and the fifth year... it was committed."
"YOU'RE SICK!" Akane screamed suddenly. She began wiggling, trying to get away from him. She ignored the burns the rope did. "YOU'RE SICK IN THE MIND!" Drager laughed and dropped her. Akane bounced on her butt a few times, but glared up at Drager.
"Call me sick all you want." Drager chuckled, "ANNA!" He called. She appeared the doorway with a sickening smile as well. She crossed and held out a shiny silver pistol to Drager. "It's Ranma's turn." Drager said darkly. He accepted the pistol and kissed Anna passionately. She then left again. Drager cocked the gun, "Do you know what this is, Akane?"
Akane gulped, despite the fact it felt like a brick was in her throat. "Y-yes... that's... a gun..."
"Well, duh." Drager rolled his eyes. He spun the bullet holder, then locked it in place. He played with the gun. Cocking it and then uncocking it. "This is a Caliber." He felt his hand along the side of the pistol. Engraved in the side was "Baby". "To be specific," Drager said, "A Co2 Baby Desert Eagle." He laughed, "This can shoot at 120 mph. Even with Ranma's advanced skills, he won't be able to dodge these bullets." Drager threw his head back and laughed.
"You jerk," Akane grumbled, "You're sick! You need to go back to the asylum!"
"Shut up," Drager told her harshly, "If you value your life." He pointed the gun at her. Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump. Akane had never had a gun pointed at her before and she didn't like it one bit. "Hey, Anna! Can you do me a favor...?"
Ranma, I need you!
...
Ranma jumped roof to roof, his eyes darting everywhere. His arm was feeling better, thankfully. There was now a fresh stitch on his upper arm, medical tape pressed over it to help keep the stitched from tearing. Where could he have taken her? I swear, if anything has happend to her... Drager! You won't live to see another day! Ranma leapt from a roof, landing flawlessly. His eyes darted up and down the streets.
"Hey!" Ranma turned when he heard the voice. There was girl with a hair-defying up-do. She was breath-taking. She had on a blue and white dress, her skin pale and fair. Ranma cocked an eyebrow up at her. "You wanna find Akane?" His heart nearly stopped when she said that to him.
"Yes! Who are you?"
She winked, "Just call me Anna."
Anna! Ranma's breath hitched in his throat, That girl that Drager was talking about. Ranma followed Anna through the streets, not daring to be the one to speak. His mind was reeling. He snuck a glance at Anna. As they marched through the streets her hair barely bobbed. Must of taken a lot of hairspray and gel. He told himself. Suddenly, a shadow loomed over them. Ranma looked up to see the large bell tower. The bell had just finished ringing ten minutes ago. Anna opened the door and shoved Ranma in roughly. He staggered, but then looked across the room. Anna slammed the door behind her and then crossed through another door way. Ranma didn't notice anything. It seemed everything just melted. There was a figure laying in the middle of the room. It was Akane.
"AKANE!" Ranma shouted and began racing across the room, pumping his arms. God dammit Drager! Ranma looked up and saw Drager leaping from the second floor level. Speak of the devil! Ranma did a back hand spring, narrowly missing Drager's attack. Ranma stood in a fighting position, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?"
"Oh, she can't hear you, no matter how loud you scream." Drager told him, "A little bit of sleeping weed did the trick." Ranma through a punch. Drager easily evaded it. Ranma through punch after punch, kick after kick. He was panting, he was aching, but he kept going. "I see you got stitches." Drager noted, "Nicely done. Did you take it to Dr. Tofu?" Ranma grounded his teeth together and threw a hook punch. He nicked Drager on the jaw. He staggered back, surprised for a moment, but then threw his first attack. It was a kick, right to Ranma's chest.
Ranma wheezed as he was sent across the room. He lifted his head and saw Akane only feet from him. "Akane..." He rasped and reached for her. He sense Drager running at him. Ranma flattened himself and rolled across the floor. Drager slammed his foot into the ground where Ranma was. Ranma leapt to his feet. He kicked Drager in the side. He staggered, but then laughing like a maniac. Ranma froze, his eye twitching as he watched Drager double over in laughter. "Hey! What's so funny?"
"This!" Drager whipped a silver pistol from the inside of his kimono out. Ranma inhaled sharply, freezing where he was.
"Drager," Ranma said gently, bring his hands up. "You... you don't know what you're doing. Just put the gun down..."
"Shut up!" Drager hissed at him, "You're just like mother! Try and talk me out of it!"
"What are you talking about?" Ranma asked, his eyesbrows knitting together, "Mom and I are nothing alike!"
"Were nothing alike," Drager corrected Ranma. Ranma only stared at him, clearly confused. Slowly, the words sunk in. That's when Ranma realized that Drager corrected him with a past tense. Ranma's eyes widened.
"WHAT DID YOU DO!" Ranma screamed. Drager laughed.
"What do you think?"
"YOU'RE SICK!" Ranma could feel threatening tears. They pricked behind his eyes. Without thinking, Ranma threw a big kick. Drager dodged it, still keeping the pistol pointed directly at Ranma. Ranma backed up a few feet, trying to put distance between the gun and him. He could feel numbness spreading through his body. Drager began laughing again. With each rack of laughter, Ranma felt himself grow angrier. "NO!" Ranma screamed. He leapt, kicking the gun from Drager's gun. His eyes widened as he watched his gun skid across the floor. Ranma threw punch after punch, his breath coming out ragged. With each punch, though, he was sucessful. Drager staggered here and there, moaning and groaning with each attack.
Ranma leapt in the air and kicked Drager harshly in the chest. He staggered back and fell. Ranma turned and walked calmly to the center of the room, his breath still coming out rough and thick. He knelt and picked up the gun. He pushed the bullet holder open and laughed. There were no bullets. He tossed the gun aside and raced to Akane. He untied her and as he did, he noticed the red marks all over her ankles, arms, and wrists. They were burn marks. Once she was completely untied, he held her close to his own body.
"Akane..." He whispered, gently nudging her. Her head only bobbed and fell back against his chest. That's when he heard footsteps. Ranma looked up and saw Anna in the door way. She eyed the unconscious Drager, then stared intently at Ranma, who was holding Akane. Don't tell me she wants to fight, too. Ranma thought to himself. She didn't say anything. She only stared.
"R-Ranma..." His eyes darted back down to see Akane. Her brown eyes were slowly opening. Her hand came up and grasped his shirt. It bunched up under her death grasp. She held on like someone was going to rip her away at any second. He winced just seeing the burn marks that ringed her wrist.
"Sh," Ranma said, "don't worry." He stood up, scooping her with him. He glared at Anna as he crossed the room, back for the door. "I got you..." He murmered. Akane pressed her face into his chest. Ranma didn't know if she was crying or if she was in pain. He considered that both were a reasonable option. Anna stepped infront of him, blocking his path out the door.
"You," She said slowly. Ranma glared death back at her, "What did you do to Drager?" She pointed to the guy who was now coming to. He looked considerably confused.
"You're seriously asking me that?" Ranma asked, disbelief coating his tone, "Do you want to explain what you did to Akane?" He gestured with a head flick to Akane. She had a deep nasty bruise covering the whole right side of her face. Burn marks were carved into her arms and she was shaking uncontrollably. "You're both going back to the asylum." Ranma told Anna. He then walked around her. She watched after him.
"Did this bring your mother back?" She called after him. He stopped, hesistating for a moment. Anna smirked when she saw his uncertainty. "Do you think what you just did to your brother was right? Do you think your mother would of agreed with you? Look at him? He's completely defensless." Ranma bit his lips. He was ready to fire a million things at Anna, just tell her off completely. Instead, he just walked out the door.
...
"Will she be OK?" Ranma asked as Dr. Tofu scanned over Akane. She was sitting up, her eyes shimmering as Dr. Tofu's eyes flew over her. Bruises actually covered her body, to Ranma's surprise. He remembered when he first brought her in and Dr. Tofu scanned over her cheek. He then asked that she pull down her blouse. Ranma's eyes were intense as she pulled her shirt down past her collar bone. Her collar bone was bruised. The bruises even travelled under her bra. Ranma grasped the chairs arms so tightly his knuckles turned white. He won't get away with this, Ranma thought to himself. Dr. Tofu was taking notes now. Akane was silent and staring forward. I'll be sure his life becomes a living hell. Ranma kept telling himself, He'll pay for what he did to Akane.
"She'll be fine." Dr. Tofu concluded, "Nothing is broken. The bruises look bad, but they should clear up in a few days. Akane," She turned her head to him, her eyes dull, "you should get lots of rest." She only nodded.
...
"Akane..." Ranma peaked her door open. He had water and aspirin tablets. It had been two days since the accident. Drager and Anna were now staying here under the roof, but it had been set up to go back to the asylum. Now Genma wouldn't let them out of his sight. Ranma pushed the door all the way open and was surprised to see Akane's bed vacant. What did you expect? Ranma told himself. He set the tablets and glass of water on her desk, of course she wasn't going to stay in bed. Ranma saw the open window. He climbed out, the leapt up onto the higher part of the roof. There was Akane in her pajamas, dark circles under her eyes and the bruise on her right cheek menacing. "Akane, what are you doing?" Ranma asked. She turned her head and actually smiled when she Ranma.
"I got tired of just laying in bed," She told him, "besides, it's a nice day out." She patted him a spot beside her on the roof. He took a seat beside her and they just stared at the puffy clouds that passed.
"So, are you okay?" He asked, sneaking a glance at her.
Akane nodded, "Yeah." She responded, pulling her arms around her knees. "I'm feeling better. When are they coming to get Drager and Anna?"
"Tomorrow evening." Ranma told her. "I guess it was a bad idea to invite Drager to stay here, huh?" Akane shook her head to Ranma's surprise.
"No." Akane said, simply. "You didn't know what'd he be like It's better you got to know who he really was. You might of spent the rest of your life asking yourself 'why didn't I get to know my brother? Who was he really?'"
Ranma had never thought of it like that. A dark gloom suddenly overwhelmed his soul, "Do you think Drager really killed my mom?" Akane grew silent, remembering the sickening moment when the hard truth came from Drager's mouth. It was like someone dropped a stone pillar on her.
"I don't know." Akane replied.
"I'm going to call," Ranma told Akane. Her head turned to him in surprise. His heart skipped a beat. Not because of her upsetting appearence, but because of those honey eyes. They were breath taking. "I have to make sure. Before I tell Pops. Wanna come with me?" Akane nodded.
...
Ranma and Akane sat in her room. The chord for the phone that connected it to the jack, ran down the hallway and all the way to the kitchen. Ranma cradled the phone in his hand, absently playing with the cord as the ring continued. Please pick up. Ranma thought, please don't be dead. Please, Mom. The rings continued. His heart was off the charts. Even Akane's were. She was silently hoping Ranma hadn't lost his mother. He wanted this for Ranma. The phone call cut to the answering machine. A cold gust froze over Ranma's heart, his breath hitched in his throat.
Akane saw the surprise and felt all hope melt from her mind. "I'm trying again." Ranma said, firmly. He quickly redialed and listened to the rings. He was grasping the phone so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Pick up, dammit! Ranma's mind blaired, I know you're not dead, Mom... I just know it... Please don't disappoint me...
"Hello." Filled his ear. Ranma's eyes widened. He was speechless, his mouth dropped open. Akane smiled back at him, despite the fact that it hurt. "Hello?" Came the call again.
"Mom!" Ranma choked out.
"Ranma?"
"Mh-hm." Ranma nodded, "It's so good to hear you." Ranma breathed a silent sigh of relief. She was okay. Drager was a bluffer. "I thought..."
"You thought what, dear?"
"Nothing- it doesn't matter." Ranma told her, "Mom, I have to talk to seriously, though." Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump. "I- I met Drager." He could hear whatever his mother was doing on the other end stop.
"You what?" His mother rasped. Before Ranma could respond, she began pouring out, "Ranma, honey, sweetie, I- I'm so sorry. I didn't want to tell you. Are you angry with me and your father?"
"No- I mean, yeah, at first I was." Ranma replied, "But, slowly, I got to know him more. Mom, he's absolutely insane. How did he get out of the asylum?"
"He's not out of the asylum," Mrs. Saotome said to Ranma's surprise. Akane, who had pressed her ear to the other side of the phone, pulled away and gasped.
"Yes he is," Ranma said, quickly, "Mom, he's here right now! He said he killed you! That's why I called you! I thought you were dead and I didn't want to believe it. He's insane. He said he was let out of the asylum five years ago. He kidnapped Akane and everything..."
"Ranma, take a deep breath, hon." Ranma's mother told him as soothingly as possible. "Are you getting him back into the asylum?"
"Yeah," Ranma said, after taking in a deep breath. "Tomorrow evening." There was a silence. Ranma's eyes trained on the door, intently. "Mom, I gotta go. I'll get Pops to call you later." Before he could listen for her good bye, he slammed the phone on the receiever.
"Ranma, what are you doing?" Akane asked. She jumped to her feet with Ranma.
"He lied!" Ranma turned to Akane, "We really don't know as much as we thought."
"You're right..." Akane gasped, realzing this.
"Well," Ranma began for the door, "I'm not going to stand around. I'm going to get answers!"
"I'm coming, too!" Akane called, racing after him. He retreated back into the room and scooped Akane up. "Ranma, what are you doing!" She asked now, blushing. You couldn't see the blush though. It was covered up under the deep dark bruises on her face.
"You need to rest." He gently laid her on the bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. "I'll get answers and tell them to you later."
"Not fair!" Akane called as Ranma crossed the room back to the door. He smiled mischeviously and closed the doors after him. Akane huffed and crossed her arms. As much as she hated to admit it, she could feel her eye lids grow heavy. "I'm... not... sleepy..." She told herself as her lolled to the side.
Ranma smirked from outside the door. "Don't be stubborn." He murmered. Wait-, He though to himself, please be stubborn. It makes you so much more cuter than you think. Then Ranma marched down the hall, ready to figure out everything that had not been told to him.
