Trials and Tribulations
Chapter 9
Disclaimer: Still don't own WHR.
A/N: So this is attempt 3 to rid myself of OOC-ness. Thanks to Prospero53223 for her help in getting this done! I know, there's still OOC-ness, but it's far better now than it was. Again, if you have read the previous versions of this chapter, the plot hasn't changed, just some of the details.
"What are you two so chipper about?" Sakaki asked as Doujima and Robin entered the office, giggling.
"Girl's stuff," Doujima flippantly replied. Robin merely giggled again.
Amon looked over his shoulder, his eyes softening slightly at the sight of his parter. He couldn't pinpoint it, but something had happened to ease some of her tension. Mentally he thanked Doujima for whatever role she played in Robin's change.
Without further acknowledgment of the girls, Amon got up from his desk and strode towards the elevator. "Sakaki," his low voice commanded, "come with me."
Seeing her partner was going out, Robin turned to follow as well.
"No, Robin. You stay."
The youngest hunter paused briefly, then quickened her pace to catch up.
"Robin."
"Why?" She glared at the impassive man defiantly. Amon started to ignore the question, then thought better of it. He grabbed her arm roughly and bent down to speak to her softly enough that only she would hear.
"I'm not taking you with me when I'm working on your case. I won't, and you don't need to be there. Don't ask me again." With that the eldest hunter turned to join the other, leaving Robin to stare in stunned silence.
———
"Where are we going, anyway?" Sakaki asked the silent driver.
"Thought you might want to go interview someone with me," Amon replied, glancing over at the younger man.
"Robin could have helped you with that."
"Not where we're going and who we're interviewing."
The two men rode on in amicable silence until Amon pulled his car to a stop in an alley.
"Here, take this," the impassive hunter advised as he opened the glove box and pulled out a Beretta 92 that he handed to the other. "The orbo gun likely won't do you any good here. And don't be surprised if there's more than just the guy we're here to talk to."
Sakaki followed Amon through the maze of streets and shops. The area they were in was almost as bad as the Walled City, though there were more people milling about. Amon led him through an unmarked door and up several flights of stairs before stopping in a dark room. Neither moved or made a sound for some time. Just as Sakaki was about to say something, he heard a sound in one of the darkened corners.
"I thought it was just to be the two of us," someone said, almost hesitantly, from the dark.
"It looks like neither of us came alone," Amon returned in his standard low monotone voice inclining his head towards a boy in the shadows of a different corner who looked to be about 17 or 18.
"The one who came with me is but a child," the still hidden man said diffidently.
"He's older than the girl you helped rape."
"I didn't rape her!" the man screeched as he came out of the shadows before visibly calming down. "I was merely the messenger."
"Kato," Amon stated flatly in way of greeting.
"Amon." The man bowed respectfully, ignoring that neither Amon nor Sakaki followed suit. He was a tall man by Japanese standards, though still shorter than Amon. By his dress, he was obviously a successful business man.
"So, how may I be of service to you today, friend?" Kato attempted to placate the glaring man before him, without success.
"Who put out the contract?" Sakaki impatiently interjected, incensed by Kato's nonchalance.
"Hmm... you know I can't divulge that. It would be a breach of confidence." The graying businessman spread his hands in supplication.
"You wouldn't want to end up like Tokoshida, would you?" Sakaki took a glance toward Amon, shocked by the insinuation. The dark hunter's voice had taken a very ominous tone, but on the outside he looked as calm as he normally did. It suddenly occurred to Sakaki that this was a man whom he never wanted to get on the bad side of.
Kato blinked, his face obviously paling. "If I say anything, they'll put a price on my head, you know."
"If you don't say anything, you won't leave here alive," Amon coldly replied.
"And if I talk?" Kato was nervously looking for a way out. He hadn't expected someone as foreboding as the cold man in front of him, nor had he expected to be seriously threatened at this meeting.
"You'll merely look like you had the information beaten out of you."
———
As they headed back to the car, Sakaki was visibly shaken.
"Here, clean the blood off," Amon suggested impassively, throwing a towel he got from the trunk at the younger man.
Sakaki caught the cloth and leaned against Amon's car, cleaning the worst of the mess off himself.
"I can't believe we just did that," the younger hunter whispered.
The elder hunter lit a cigarette and leaned against the car next to his coworker. "He might live because of that beating."
"But you..."
"We couldn't have a witness to the confession."
"What about the contact who put out the hit?"
Amon looked hard at Sakaki, weighing his next words. "Haruto, if you care about anyone on the team, then you'll say nothing about what just happened - to anyone. And you won't ask me who the contact was," Amon stated.
Sakaki didn't know what to think. Amon had grabbed Kato by the collar and pulled the quivering man up to his eye level. The dark hunter had growled something and the smaller man had responded, but their interaction had been too quiet for the younger hunter to hear. In the end, they had beaten Kato senseless and Amon had flat out shot the other young man there. Glancing at the stoic man, he shuddered. Everyone always acted as if they expected him to be completely cold and heartless, but no one really believed it. Now, Sakaki had seen proof that their field leader could actually be like that. He wasn't sure if he should be scared of the man or in awe of him.
The two stood in silence before Amon flicked his cigarette away and moved to get into the car.
"Sakaki." The younger man jumped at the sound of his name as he was pulled from his thoughts. Realizing that Amon had gotten into the car, he went to the passenger side and got in.
A/N: Critiques and constructive criticism are always welcome!
