Ushio Makes a Panty Raid

By: SilvorMoon

Carly was not sleeping easily. She still wasn't used to staying up all night and sleeping during the day, and it was taking a toll on her. She twitched, dreaming, her mind full of shadowy visions of people chasing her down interminable dark alleys. At last, her flailing grew forceful enough that she knocked her glasses off the table, making them fall to the floor with a clatter. The noise jolted her awake, and she stared nearsightedly around the kitchen, convincing herself that there was no one there but herself. She fumbled around on the floor for her glasses and shoved them back where they belonged.

I'm safe, she told herself. Nobody is going to find me here. Saiga made sure of that. He fixed the mark, right?

But she was still not completely comfortable. She reached for her deck and drew a card. She studied it.

A moment later, she was battering on Saiga's door. He opened it and looked out at her, his expression irritated.

"What is it now?" he asked.

"Well, um..." she said. "This is going to sound silly, but... I had a bad dream. I'd really feel better if you'd just... you know, check and make sure there are no Security guys hanging around? Just in case?"

He stared at her, and for a moment she thought he was going to slam the door in her face. Then he shrugged and said, "Well, why not? It can't hurt." He followed her back to the kitchen and turned on his laptop. Carly looked on nervously as he started up a program and typed some directions into it. A map appeared on the screen, showing an outline of their neighborhood. A small flock of red dots seemed to be moving closer to their building. Saiga swore.

"I don't know what kind of radar you're plugged into," he said to Carly, "but you're right on the money. And I'll bet these guys aren't just passing through."

"What do we do? What do we do?" Carly yelped, waving her hands frantically.

"Grab your stuff and go," said Saiga. "Wake Jack up and get yourselves out of here. You can hide in the bin behind the old bookshop - there's never anything in it but paper. Well, what are you waiting for? Move! I'll hold them up!"

Carly moved. She rushed into the storeroom, where Jack was stretched out on a spare quilt that passed for his bed.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up!" she shouted, dropping to her knees to shake him.

"Mmph? What?" he said, blinking and squinting at her.

"We've got to go! Security's coming!"

Jack didn't need to be told twice. He bounded to his feet, and the two of them began a frantic scramble to gather their things and shove them into bags. Within seconds, their few personal belongings had been collected, and the two of them raced down the stairs and out the back door.

Saiga, meanwhile, went to his computer and regarded it regretfully. It had been a good machine, but he couldn't have Security figuring out what he'd been doing with it. He plugged a spare drive into it, copied as much as he could onto it, and then began erasing nearly everything from the original computer, using a program to overwrite various sections with a random string of zeroes and ones. The drive, he pocketed. He wished he had thought to tell Carly to take the laptop with her, but at the moment, the most incriminating thing it was likely to have on it was the work she'd done on her blog. They couldn't arrest him for blogging about street duels, could they?

No sooner had he finished then there was a knock on the door, the authoritative pounding of someone who knows that someone is home and isn't going to go away until he gets a response. Saiga forced himself to walk at an unhurried pace, both to give Carly and Jack plenty of time to escape, and to make sure it looked like he had nothing to hide. He opened his front door to find himself looking at a brawny man in a Security officer's uniform. Several more officers in less impressive uniforms stood behind him at a distance.

"Chief Officer Ushio Tetsu," said the stranger, flashing a badge. "I have a search warrant. You're accused of harboring escapees from Satellite. Are you going to let us in?"

"I'm not harboring anybody," said Saiga, "but sure, you can come in if you want. I have nothing to hide."

"I'll be the judge of that," Ushio replied.

He stepped inside and began scanning the area, his gaze seeming to take in every detail around him. Saiga watched him and tried to keep breathing normally. He'd been skirting around the edges of the law for a while now, and if this officer found something...

"What's all this?" Ushio demanded, waving a hand to indicate all the mess.

"My workshop," said Saiga. "I fix computers for a living."

"So all these aren't yours?"

"Most of them are. For spare parts, you know."

"What's upstairs?"

"Bedroom. Bath. Kitchen. Couple of storerooms."

"Mind if I take a look?" asked Ushio, already moving towards the stairs.

"Knock yourself out," said Saiga.

He followed Ushio up the stairs and into the kitchen. Ushio studied the laptop for a moment, but apparently he didn't know enough about computers to even start trying to work out if it had been used for something illegal or not. He stared much longer at the main computer, which was still sitting and humming to itself.

"What's this for?" Ushio asked.

"Just something I'm working on," said Saiga. "It had a virus infestation, so I've been trying to wipe it clean and start over."

"Huh," said Ushio. "Wiping it clean, huh?"

"Only way to get rid of them," said Saiga, nodding seriously.

"Mind if my men take it in for a closer look?"

"Be my guest," said Saiga. Inside, he felt a pang. It had been such a nice computer. Now he'd probably never see it again.

Ushio continued his search. He inspected Saiga's bedroom, but Saiga paid little attention to that; Jack and Carly rarely went into his room, so there would be no sign of them there. The bathroom was a trickier proposition, since there were so many opportunities to forget small personal items there, but Ushio found nothing incriminating there either. He moved on to the storerooms and inspected the heaps of cardboard boxes stacked up there.

"What's all this?" he asked.

"Just some personal belongings. Things I never unpacked," said Saiga. "What can I say? I'm not much of a housekeeper."

"Hmm..."

Ushio began an inspection of the room, peering in and around the boxes. After a moment, Saiga let himself relax a little. There didn't seem to be anything out of place, and anything Ushio did find, it would be easy enough to say it was some stray item of his that had been tossed in a box and forgotten.

"Aha!" said Ushio, grinning with victory. "What have we got here?"

He took a pen from his pocket and fished around behind a box, producing a pair of what were obviously women's panties. They were purple, with a little pink bow in front. Saiga tried not to let his reaction show. Ushio's eyes glittered maliciously as he dangled them in front of him.

"Going to tell me these are yours?" he said.

Saiga forced himself to laugh. "Hey, I'm a bachelor. I'm allowed to have a visitor once in a while, know what I mean? Come on, don't tell me you've never had a girl lose something at your place."

For some reason, this seemed to irritate Ushio. He scowled.

"You keep my personal life out of this," he snapped. He fished a plastic bag out of a pocket and started fumbling it open. "I'm taking this as evidence."

Saiga frowned slightly. He was contemplating possibilities regarding DNA.

"Evidence of what?" he said. "There's no one here but me. Unless you think I'm harboring a fugitive in my fridge or under the sink..."

There was nothing Ushio could say to that, since he'd seen the whole building and it was obviously empty.

"Fine," he said. He did not sound at all pleased. "You're off the hook... for now. But don't try anything funny. We'll be watching you."

"Just try not to watch next time I bring a girl home. I'd like some privacy once in a while."

"Ha ha. Funny guy," said Ushio. "That mouth is going to get you in trouble one of these days."

He stomped off, muttering under his breath. The officer was clearly not happy about not finding anything, but that was hardly Saiga's problem. He waited until he was sure that Ushio and his men had gone elsewhere. Then he hurriedly gathered up some of his own personal belongings and his laptop, throwing them into an empty cardboard box. He taped it shut and carried it downstairs, securing it to the back of his D-Wheel. He had a feeling he wasn't going to be coming back to this building anytime soon. He took one last look around before speeding off towards the bookshop.

He found Jack and Carly where he'd expected they would be, huddled in a garbage bin full of old books and scrap paper. Saiga peered down at them.

"Come on out. The coast is clear," he said.

Jack boosted Carly out of the bin before climbing out himself.

"What happened?" he asked.

"The place got searched," said Saiga. "They found some of her things behind a box, and that's probably enough to prove she was there."

Carly blushed. "I thought I got everything!"

"Well, your underwear now belongs to the Bureau of Public Security," said Saiga, "and that means we're all in deep trouble."

"Just great," Jack muttered. "We'll have to find somewhere else to live now..."

Carly looked worried. "Where can we go?"

Saiga frowned. He hadn't wanted it to come to this - he had, in fact, been deeply afraid that it would, but now it seemed inevitable.

"I know where we might get help," he said slowly. "Maybe. I'm not sure. Probably not. But it's the only thing I can think of to try."

"If that's our only choice," said Jack, shrugging philosophically. "Where is this?"

"Do you know the big estate on Orion Road?" asked Saiga. "I'm going to head over there. I know the guy who owns the place. There's a chance I can talk him into giving us a hand. Like I said, it's not likely, but I'll give it my best shot. Meet me there, all right?"

"And what if he isn't willing to help?" asked Jack.

"Then we're out of luck," said Saiga. "Look, it's the best I can do on short notice."

"We're not complaining," Carly assured him hastily. "You go. We'll catch up."

Saiga looked at her, seeing the fear in her eyes. The sunlight glinted off the golden mark on her cheek, and he remembered that she'd already been through the Neo Domino prison system once. She knew better than any of them what it would be like if they were caught. The sight firmed his resolve.

"Right," he said. "See you soon, then."

He mounted his D-Wheel again and accelerated away, moving at a speed that was at odds with the heavy feeling inside him. Even knowing that the only alternative to this was probably going to jail for a long, long time...

I really don't want to do this.

It was a nice house. Perhaps not the best on the block, surrounded as it was by the pricey manors of the upper-crust, but what it lacked in size, it made up in its spacious grounds. There was a tall wrought iron fence around the property, and though Saiga couldn't see it at the moment, he knew there was a racetrack behind the house, a fact that was borne out by a small sign next to the front gate advertising coaching in dueling and D-Wheeling. The estate belonged to a man who had once been a well-known duelist, and had invested his winnings wisely upon retirement. He was regarded as a good teacher, but was otherwise something of a loner who rarely ventured out. Saiga regarded the gates and wished he had another option.

Just do it and get it over with, he told himself. Do you want to find out what Jack is going to say if he catches you standing here like a coward?

The thought of catching a tongue-lashing from Jack was enough to make him reach out to press the buzzer. There was a pause and then a hum, and a voice emerged from the speaker.

"Hello? Someone there?" the voice asked. It was a man's voice, youthful, sounding more like a careless teenager than a successful duelist and teacher.

"Yes," Saiga replied, his mouth dry. "Mr. Nakamura? Do you mind if I come in? I'd like to speak to you for a moment."

"All righty," said the man. There was a click, and the gate swung inward. "Come on in - the door is open. I'll be down in a minute."

He didn't recognize me, Saiga thought, as he passed through the gates. Had he been forgotten, he wondered, or was it only that the intercom had distorted his voice too much? He would have preferred to be recognized right away. Being turned away at the gate would have been easier than having to deal with the matter face to face.

However, his feet had already been set in motion, so without even thinking about it, he followed them to the front door. He tried the handle and discovered that it was unlocked, so he let himself in. He found himself standing in a modest foyer, with a staircase spiraling off to one side and a few doors opening in various directions. There was no one in sight. Saiga stood there, fighting the urge to pretend he'd been waylaid on the front walk and never made it inside. He wiped his sweating palms on his pants, but it didn't help much.

At last, a door opened, and a man walked slowly into view. He appeared young, probably not out of his twenties, but he leaned on a cane as he walked, with one leg held stiffly at an odd angle. He had a mop of red-blond hair that partially concealed his face, but couldn't completely cover the shiny scars of old burns on his cheeks and chin. He looked as though he'd been working in a garage recently - he wore a pair of threadbare jeans and a grease-stained T-shirt, and his hands were grimy with machine oil.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I was working on..." he began, and then stopped as he caught sight of Saiga.

"Hey, Yuji," said Saiga, offering him a weak grin. "Long time no see."

"Saiga..."

Yuji walked over to him as if in a trance until they were face to face. Then he suddenly dropped his cane to fling his arms around Saiga to catch him in a powerful bear hug.

"I knew you'd come back!" he exclaimed. "I just knew it!"

For a moment, Saiga was too stunned to do anything. Then, slowly, he put his arms around his old friend and returned the embrace.

"Good to see you too, pal," he said.

Yuji finally released him, which was just as well, because he was starting to cut off Saiga's air supply. He stood back to look at him, beaming.

"How have you been doing?" he said. "What are you doing here? It's been forever since I heard from you. Why didn't you ever call me? I was worried about you! Do you have time for a drink or something? What have you been up to all this time? I thought you were going to go pro. Are you..."

"Easy, easy!" said Saiga, laughing in spite of himself. He had almost forgotten how Yuji could get, when he was excited about something. "I'll tell you everything, I promise, but first I... I really need your help."

Yuji gave him a concerned look, and Saiga found himself wishing he could sink into the floor. All this time, Yuji had been waiting for him, wishing he would come back, and now Saiga was telling him that he'd only come because he wanted something out of him. Yuji, he thought, must be thinking that Saiga was a first-class heel.

"What's wrong?" Yuji asked.

"Well, it's like this," Saiga began, and began explaining, as quickly as he could, how he'd fallen in with a couple of escapees from Satellite and gotten himself in trouble with the law. Yuji listened, wide-eyed.

"So Security is looking for you? Wow," said Yuji. He sounded more impressed than anything. "You're lucky you made it here in one piece. Security is all over the place today. I heard on the news that someone escaped from Neo Domino jail. Every cop in the city is out looking for them."

"Good. Maybe that will distract them from us," said Saiga. "But we really need a place to lie low for a while, until we figure out where we're going to go next."

"You're not going anywhere next," said Yuji. "You're staying right here. I just got you back - I'm not letting you run away again!"

Saiga was floored. "And the others...?"

"They can stay too. I have lots of room," said Yuji. "If they're friends of yours, they must be all right."

"They're not exactly..." Saiga began, but Yuji wasn't listening.

"I haven't had guests for a while," he was saying. "We'll say they're boarders. I've had boarding students a few times. That's what the spare rooms upstairs are for. Nobody will notice a few extra people hanging around."

Saiga cuffed his friend's shoulder lightly. "I hope you're not going to tell people I'm your student."

"Of course not," said Yuji, grinning. "You're here to help me work on the D-Wheels. I do minor repairs, still, but I don't have your computer expertise. You can even teach classes, if you want."

"Let's not get carried away," Saiga replied. "Somebody's looking for me, remember? I'm trying to keep a low profile."

"Oh, right," said Yuji, slapping his forehead. Then he grinned. "It's just so good to see you!"

"I'm glad to see you, too," said Saiga. "Listen, Yuji. About... that last duel..."

Yuji's face fell. "I know. I'm really sorry."

"You're... what?"

"It was my fault," Yuji continued. "I was the mechanic - it was my fault that coupling came loose. I should have checked it more carefully, but I wasn't paying attention and I just figured if it had held up that long..."

"Yuji..."

Yuji stared at his feet. "I know, I should have been more careful. I was just... I knew you wanted to go to the Pro Leagues, and I was upset about you leaving, and I wasn't thinking straight. I was being selfish. And when I realized how close I'd come to getting you killed, I just... I couldn't face you. I'm sorry."

"Yuji..." Saiga gripped his friend's chin gently, forcing his eyes upward. "I never blamed you - not for one minute."

"You're sure?" asked Yuji.

"The thought never crossed my mind," said Saiga. "If anyone is to blame, it's me, so don't say anything else about it. Besides," he added, stooping to retrieve the fallen cane, "you suffered more than I did."

"What, you mean this bum leg?" said Yuji. "Well, yeah, it hurts sometimes, but I get around pretty well. That's the risk you take, when you're a D-Wheeler. It could have happened to anybody. Now, why are we talking about this depressing stuff? Let's go meet your friends. They're probably wondering what's keeping you."

They hurried out to the front gate. Yuji hadn't been lying - even with his bad leg, he moved at a brisk pace with the help of his cane, so much that Saiga, expecting him to go much more slowly, had to break into a jog to catch up to him. By the time they reached the gate, they could see two figures walking up the sidewalk: a tall blond man carrying a bulging and much- abused duffel bag, and a female clutching an equally overfilled pillowcase, her face mostly hidden in the recesses of an oversized hoodie. Saiga hurried over to greet them.

"Come on in," he said. "It's all settled. We've got a place to stay as long as we want - real beds and everything, this time."

"Wow," said Carly, suitably impressed. She pushed her hood back a bit to get a better look at the house. "That's bigger than my old place at home, even."

"Who lives there?" asked Jack, regarding the house suspiciously. "How do we know we can trust them? Why are they doing us any favors?"

"We can trust this person," said Saiga. "Jack, Carly, meet Nakamura Yuji. I might have mentioned him once or twice before."

Carly brightened. "So this is Yuji! His hair is longer than in the pictures. Hi! Nice to meet you!"

"Hi!" said Yuji. "You must be Carly. Saiga was telling me about you guys. Come on, let's go inside before anyone notices us and wonders what we're doing." His face lit up suddenly. "Hey, if all of you are staying over tonight, I can order pizza!"

Saiga shook his head. "As if you couldn't without us."

"Wouldn't be the same," said Yuji.

He herded everyone inside. Carly stared at everything as if she had never seen the inside of a house before. Jack's emotions were less visible, but it was plain that this was far different from what he was used to. Yuji seemed pleased with their reactions and chattered nonstop as he ushered them up the stairs.

"Spare rooms are over here," he said. "Just pick one out you like. These are for out of town students who want a place to stay while they're studying with me, so they're kind of plain, but they have private baths and everything."

"Sounds wonderful," said Carly fervently.

Jack was less impressed. "What goes on around here? Are we likely to be seen?"

"Not likely," said Yuji, "as long as you keep out of the way when lessons are going on. I coach people in dueling and teach them how to drive D-Wheels. Lessons are usually in the morning, but nobody ever comes up here during regular classes, only when I have boarders, which right now I don't."

"You have D-Wheels here?" asked Jack, showing a spark of interest.

"Jack is a duelist," said Saiga. "He doesn't need any coaching, though. He could probably give you and me a few pointers."

"That good, huh?" asked Yuji, eyeing Jack with renewed interest.

"Best I've ever seen, and I don't say that lightly," said Saiga. "He doesn't do riding duels, though."

"Yes I do," said Jack. "I just need a D-Wheel."

"Hm," said Yuji thoughtfully. "I could probably build you one, if Saiga would help."

"I'll repay you," said Jack.

Yuji shook his head. "It's on the house. You brought Saiga back to me. I'm in your debt."

"I'm up for it, if you are," said Saiga. He smiled a little. "It might be fun - a nice change from fixing people's obsolete junk computers."

"Great!" said Yuji. "Let's get started!"

"Let me put my things down first!" said Carly.

"Oh, right," Yuji replied, blushing a little. "Guess I got carried away. Well, get your stuff put away and meet me out back at the riding circuit."

Jack nodded assent, and he and Carly went to put away their things, while Saiga and Yuji walked away in the other direction, chatting happily with each other, catching up on old times. Carly gave a little nod of satisfaction - it was nice to be right about something - and let herself into one of the spare rooms. It was, as Yuji had warned, small and rather plain, but she hardly cared. It was a real room, with actual furniture and her own private bath with a bathtub and everything. Laughing, she tossed aside the bag she carried to rush across the room and throw herself on the bed, bouncing a few times before sprawling across the mattress in blissful abandon. She hugged one of the pillows to her chest and reveled in the luxury of having a real bed to sleep in. She had missed that.

Jack came in and looked at her with a faintly mystified expression.

"What in blazes are you doing?" he demanded.

"Isn't it wonderful?" she said, rolling over so she could look at him. "We're back in civilization! No more sleeping on the floor, no more run down buildings full of spiders and leaks and rats..."

"And I might finally get a D-Wheel."

Carly made a wry face. "I guess you're not excited about your room." She sat up and gave him a coy look. "Hey, if you don't like your bed, you can share mine..."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous."

Carly just grinned. She had just been teasing him anyway... mostly. She let herself settle back on the mattress again.

"It's silly, but I finally feel safe," she said. "Just having a room of my own, I don't feel like I'm on the run anymore. It's like we've finally got a... a home."

Jack's expression softened slightly.

"It's a good place," he agreed. "Come on. Let's go see what Saiga and Yuji have for us."

He reached out a hand to help her up, and she took it, feeling a thrill run through her at his touch. She hoped she wasn't blushing; that would be embarrassing. Still, for the moment, at least, he was holding her hand. She had been too busy, recently, worrying about getting away from Security and putting various plans in motion, but maybe now that they had found a safe refuge...

Then he released his hold on her and started for the door, causing Carly to scramble to catch up with him. She fell in step alongside him, and together they made their way downstairs, and found a door leading to the back of the house. The back yard was larger than the front, but most of it was occupied with a race track, which wound in curves and loops and was strewn with assorted obstacles. Saiga and Yuji were there, laying out an arrangement of orange traffic cones on the asphalt. They were laughing about something. Jack and Carly came up to join them.

"Oh, good, you're here," said Yuji. "We're just about done."

"What are you doing?" asked Carly, eyeing the riding circuit with interest.

"Just getting some things set up," Yuji replied. He looked at Jack. "Have you ridden a D- Wheel before?"

Jack nodded. "Enough to get the feel of it."

"Great. I'll let you borrow my ride, then," said Yuji. "You can drive a few laps around the course, and I'll watch and see if I can get a feel for your style. That way I can design a D-Wheel that will be customized to suit you."

Jack was agreeable to the idea, so Yuji led him to a nearby garage. There were several nondescript practice bikes there, but one D-Wheel stood out above the others, a sleek forest- green machine with small gold wings painted on either side. Yuji ran a hand over it affectionately.

"This is Talaria," he said. "She's my pride and joy. Try not to crash, okay?"

"I don't crash," said Jack.

Jack mounted the bike and wheeled it onto the track. Yuji, Carly, and Saiga gathered around the edge, leaning on the fence to watch him.

"Don't worry about going too fast," said Yuji. "This isn't a race. Just take it at whatever speed you feel comfortable with, and concentrate on avoiding the obstacles."

Jack flashed him a savage grin, one that could only be interpreted as, "You just watch!" Then he slipped on a helmet and revved the engine. The D-Wheel came alive with a roar, and Jack rocketed forward. He wove through a series of cones at a breakneck pace, hit the breaks, did a one-hundred-eighty-degree spin, and repeated the feat in the opposite direction. From there, he barreled towards a banked curve and took it at such a sharp angle that he was nearly parallel to the ground.

"Holy cow," said Yuji. "I thought he was a beginner!"

"I guess he's not," said Saiga.

Carly beamed with pride. "Jack can do anything."

At the moment, he was proving her right by taking a series of ramps with practiced skill, and then making a spiral of tight corkscrew loops through a tunnel. He came out the other side and wove his way through a series of obstacles, expertly avoiding puddles and patches of gravel. He took the last few curves at blinding speed, and then, as he reached the home stretch, suddenly slammed on the breaks and went into a spin. The onlookers gasped, but he remained in control, skidding slowly to a stop directly in front of them. He calmly turned off the D-Wheel and removed his helmet.

"This one is better than the one I learned on," he said. "I'm going to tell Yusei that the next time I see him."

Carly was applauding. "Jack, you were amazing!"

"He's a natural," Yuji agreed. His eyes were shining with inspiration. "This is going to be fun! Don't worry, Jack - I'm going to build you the best D-Wheel in Neo Domino!"

Jack smiled again. "I'm counting on it."

Misty walked Rua to the front door of her apartment building. The day, from her perspective, had been a great success. Most of it had been spent playing cards with Rua and listening to him chatter about his school and his friends and his sister. He had won most of the rounds they'd played - not out of any particular skill on his part, but because she'd softened her blows for him. She wanted him to feel good about himself in her company, but even more than that, she wanted to make sure he had no idea how strong she really was. Far better that he think of her as just a pretty face, rather helpless and in need of his protection.

"Thanks for everything," he said. "I had a really good time!"

"I'm glad," she said, smiling down at him. "I hope you'll come to visit again soon."

Rua's eyes lit up. "Can I come back tomorrow? Is there more cake left?"

"Of course," said Misty, laughing. "You may come back, and I will make sure to have something nice for you."

"Next time, I'll be sure to bring Ruka," said Rua. "I know she'd like you."

"We shall see," Misty replied. "But you are both welcome to visit, any time."

Rua looked at the sky; it was beginning to turn orange with the onset of evening. Already, some of the city's street lights could be seen flickering into view.

"It's later than I thought it was," he said. "I'd better go find Ruka. She's going to be wondering where I am... Hey, do you want to come with me? We were going to go get dinner at the mall!"

Misty laughed. "Well, I'd certainly hate to miss that! But I don't think tonight is the night for it. I have other things I need to work on."

"Oh, yeah," said Rua, blushing. "I guess you can't play with me all the time, huh?"

"Don't worry about it," she said. "It was nothing that couldn't be put off a bit. Just a few things I need to put in order."

"Oh, okay," said Rua. "Anyway, I guess, I'll... huh?"

He trailed off, gazing at something further down the sidewalk. Misty turned to see a man standing on the corner, watching them both intently. He wore a long duster jacket, and his eyes were hidden by a pair of dark glasses, even though the light was already growing dim. Something about the way he was standing gave him a predatory air. He seemed to be watching them.

"Who's that guy?" asked Rua uneasily. "There's something creepy about him..."

Misty's lips tightened into a thin line. "Don't worry about him. He's just someone I know."

"A friend?" Rua inquired. He sounded doubtful about the idea, and Misty couldn't blame him. This man didn't look like anyone's friend.

"Just an acquaintance," said Misty. "A co-worker, of sorts. I expect he wants to talk business with me."

"He still looks creepy," said Rua, "but if you're sure it's okay..."

"It will be fine," Misty assured him. "Run along to your sister. This is going to be a grown-up talk."

"Okay, then. Bye!"

Rua darted off, running by the dark man and giving him a wary look as he darted past. The man merely glowered before glancing away. He strode towards Misty, radiating irritation.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" he demanded.

She raised an eyebrow. "I am following the plan."

"Like hell you are. I thought we had an agreement."

"We did," she said.

"It sure doesn't look like it."

"Calm yourself, Demak," said Misty. "I'm doing you a favor. The little girl you've been watching has become friends with Izayoi Aki. I am simply using the boy as a tool to get closer to her. He and his sister share a strong bond; she will be far weaker without him protecting her. Together, they would be more of a challenge than I think you realize. You should be thanking me for separating them."

"Hmph," said Demak. "So you say."

"I have no interest in your games," said Misty. "You can do whatever you like to the girl when I'm done."

"And if I get to her first?" Demak persisted.

"She is under the protection of the Arcadia Movement now. You won't get to her without going through Izayoi first, not to mention the rest of her comrades."

"Tough luck for you, then."

Misty scowled. "You will do your part and I will do mine. You will not interfere with me. Is that understood?"

"You don't tell me what to do," Demak snarled. "Spoiled rich girl. You've got it too easy, thinking you can have whatever you want just by demanding..."

"Don't say that," Misty snapped. "Don't ever say that."

"I'll say what I like," said Demak, "about you or anyone else. This is your warning, rich girl. Don't interfere with my plans."

"I don't intend to," she said stiffly. "Goodnight, Demak."

His only answer was a grunt. He turned on his heel and swept away, and was quickly lost in the shadows.

To Be Continued...