Love is a Battlefield

Chapter 9: Urgency

Military Headquarters; Conference Room…

"You're late Ayuzawa." Gerard says with a triumphant smirk.

The heads turn around to see Misaki entering the conference room and taking a seat beside Tora.

"I was informed the meeting was to be held thirty minutes from now."

"Well, your informant was wrong. Moving along, the discussion at hand is a very serious matter so I advise everyone to listen well." Gerard was looking at Misaki as if she's the only one in the room.

Misaki sneaked a glance at Tora who's wearing a look of indifference. Bastard. Misaki thought.

"Recent reports show that a great number of weaponry has gone missing from our inventory. At exactly midday today a group of rebels broke into warehouse 9 located at section C-17. Heavy artillery was stolen including semi-automatic rifles, machine guns, Gatling guns also including pistols, revolvers, shot guns…"

The list was endless. Misaki was now staring at Gerard as if she can't understand a thing he's saying. How could something like this happen? She was in there! At exactly midday she was in there talking to Kanou and looking for Yukimura. He must have seen something, surely.

Misaki was quiet for the rest of the meeting. She was still in shock that something like that could happen under her watch. What's worse is that she signed her name before she went in with Yukimura. She'll get the blame for sure, now that they're suspecting her of being an ally of the rebels. There is no room for treason in this country, quoted her professor once.

She shivered at the thought of her being in jail and seeing Gerard and Tora's triumphant faces. I won't be bothered by it, she decided. I'll be fine and act as if me being in the warehouse a few hours ago was as normal as a kid crying over spilled milk.

"We should tighten the security around the headquarters. We're slacking too much if they can infiltrate us like this." One of the officers suggested.

"Indeed. We have ordered tighter security around the premises and have requested everyone to submit their whereabouts before the hours leading up to the infiltration in the base."

"If you say that the rebels are the ones who broke in, and I'm sure you are certain, why do you need to confirm everyone's whereabouts this afternoon?" Yukimura suddenly asked. Misaki hasn't realized he was there.

"We think that there's a rebel among us. A soldier gone rogue. Of course we have yet to confirm our suspicions. Besides, I'm absolutely sure you have nothing to worry about as long as you're innocent." Gerard turns to look at Misaki again and gives a knowing smile. Misaki scowls at him.

"If that's all, then the meeting is adjourned."

Everyone got up from their seats, the room filling with murmurs and low whispers. If Gerard was trying to stir everyone up, then he succeeded.

"Lieutenant, do you think the general was referring to us?" Yukimura asked Misaki in slight panic.

"No I don't think so." Misaki reassured him. 'They'd just suspect me. I can really sense he hates me to the guts.' Misaki thought to herself.

Usui Mansion…

"Usui-san, don't you think we went a bit overboard on our little heist a while ago? You'll get Ayuzawa-san in trouble." Kanou said, worry etched on his face.

"She'll be alright. It's a good thing she didn't see me though." A wistful expression can be seen on his face. It wasn't that obvious, but he was actually hiding behind one of the crates while the exchange between Kanou and Misaki happened.

"What's the point of being discreet when you're always stalking her?" Kanou asked

"Hmmm for fun I guess, and to make sure that Tora doesn't get his hands on my woman." There was a sudden flash of fury in his eyes.

"I forgot to give you something. It's from Ayuzawa-san, she said you'd know what it was." Kanou handed over the red velvet pouch to Usui. His face softened a bit.

"I can't believe she actually kept it." Usui said as he opened it up with a smile.

A white shell fell out of the pouch and landed on Usui's hand, he brushed off the bits of sand that got stuck on it. He held it between his thumb and index finger and held it against the light. It shines beautifully, like the way the stars shone that night.

"What's that for?" Kanou asks, not sure what a shell has anything to do with this.

"It's nothing. Anyway, we need to plan for our next step." He placed the shell back into the pouch and hid it inside his desk drawer.

"Usui-san, this village will be found out eventually. The military is already devising a way to undo our cloaking devices; even our deflectors won't have a chance against that."

"We just need more time. Until that file arrives we're staying here." He interlocks his fingers and rests his chin on it.

"I'm not sure it's wise that we're using a spy inside the military just when everything is in total chaos." Kanou said after a while.

"It's alright. Nothing bad will happen to our spy, I'm sure. He lasted that long, what's the difference of having everyone on guard now? They always were anyway." There was finality in his voice. Kanou can't press any further. The discussion was over.

Misaki's office…

'Damn, I really am in trouble now.'

"Lieutenant, may I have a word with you?" Yukimura took the seat in front of Misaki's desk.

"Of course, do you need something?" Misaki asks casually

"Lieutenant, I know you're connected to those rebels somehow, the ones up the mountain."

Misaki's face remains impassive and says nothing.

"That letter you have, it's from them is it? Or at least from one of them." Yukimura looks at Misaki straight in the eye.

Misaki freezes for a moment and hesitates.

'Can I actually tell him the truth? What if he tells on me?'

"Ayuzawa-san, you can't hide it much longer. Not from me anyway, it was from them was it not?"

"Fine, yes it was from them, but please you can't tell anyone." Misaki's face was grim, like she had brought her own death upon her.

"I won't, I promise. So that man with the glasses, the one I saw leaving the warehouse… was a rebel, yes?"

'When will his bloody questions stop?'

"Yes." Misaki says curtly.

"Well then, you helped them steal the stuff?"

"What? No, of course not! I'm not that suicidal." Misaki says waving her hands as if brushing the matter off.

"I'm glad. I thought… that you really have crossed over to their side. You're not the soldier gone rogue, are you?" Yukimura asks his face impassive.

"No, I am not." Misaki says with a stern voice.

Yukimura says nothing. He stands up and leaves, giving Misaki one final glance before closing the door behind him.

Gerard's office…

"Ayuzawa's name was signed in the system this afternoon. She went in with Yukimura." Gerard said handing a piece of paper to Tora.

"I ordered Yukimura to check that warehouse this morning." Tora said.

"So Yukimura has an alibi. So what is Lieutenant Ayuzawa doing in there with him?"

"He must've asked her to come along with him." Tora suggested

"Or she might have used Yukimura as an excuse to go in there. He told me that they got separated for quite some time while they were inside." Gerard said, smiling at Tora's dumbfounded expression.

"Misaki won't be that stupid to steal something from us. She's a soldier for fuck's sake." Tora said angrily.

"Now,now I wouldn't trust her too much if I were you." Gerard said with a pleasant smile.

"I'm not saying that, it's just that Misaki would never do something like that." His fists are balled up now.

"Yes, of course she wouldn't, but maybe if it was for him she would."

Tora's eyes suddenly showed a flash of anger. The night he proposed to Misaki came crashing back to him.

'If it wasn't for that bastard stealing her from me then we would've been engaged by now, she wouldn't be caught up in this mess and she wouldn't be accused of treason.'

"It's normal for you to blame him like that; you can't help it I'm sure. My brother fighting the government is your fault though, if you remember." Gerard brought out a bottle of wine and poured himself a glass. He handed one to Tora who begrudgingly took it.

"You were there too." Tora said in a low voice.

"I know. I wonder what Ayuzawa will think of you if she finds out what you did back then…" Gerard takes a sip of his wine and puts his glass down.

"Whose side are you on anyway?"

"I'm on my side. I'm just giving you an incentive to not double cross me. Because if you do, I'll tell Ayuzawa what you did to her boyfriend months before she entered the academy."

"He is not Ayuzawa's boyfriend." Tora spat out.

"No? She chose him over you didn't she?" Gerard said with a teasing smile.

Hey guys! It's been a while. This chapter was written two months ago but I didn't have the time to upload it. Sorry about that. Anyway, let me know what you guys think. Reviews are always welcome. =)

Special mention corner:

Lolidragon97- To answer your question, Usui doesn't show hostility to Misaki, in fact he even helped her, and he was kind. So that's one reason why Misaki wasn't bothered much by his presence. Oh and thanks for the love. =D

Lily-neko-chan- Hmmm I guess they're at a cool-off stage at the moment. Suicide? Maybe. XDDDD

Belly boo1099- Thanks so much! =)

Ariella Forverrr- Glad you enjoyed reading it and here's a tray of cookies for you! ^-^

Haruhi-chan131- The letter will be revealed later in the story. =)

GIR3c – Thanks a lot! =)

And to all my other readers whose names I do not know, Thank you so Much for taking time to read this story! Happy New Year! Maligayang Bagong Taon sa aking mga kababayan! =D