~Save Me Tomorrow from Today~
Authors:
Cult Grade Koolaid and Danaeyl Panthernopaeus.
White Rose Part II – The Greater Good
Zero stared up at the dark ceiling. His mind was still filled with Kaien's words, as scary as that was. He honestly never thought he would think so much on what the old man said. He always thought that White Rose would be an ally. He never thought that they would want to rule the world. Their name was incredibly misleading.
With a sigh, Zero rolled over to face the wall. He tried to fall asleep to Kaname's steady breathing from the bed across the room. His mind just wouldn't shut down, though. The more he tried not to think about what White Rose wanted to accomplish, the more he thought about it. The very idea of being able to walk around freely was something that Zero had been wishing for, since he was first accepted into Rose Red.
They wouldn't have to hide at Cross. They would be able to have normal lives, being who they are. Sure, there were Himas that had families and jobs, but that was because they refused to accept the abilities that were inside of them. They were denying their bodies of who they were. In a sense, Zero knew he was the same as them. He didn't want to be a Hima.
Zero sat up, running his hands through his hair. And worse than that, he and Ichiru were known around the world. Everyone knew about their ability. Was it only White Rose that wanted to get their grubby hands on that gene? And the worst part was Zero understood why Kaien wanted him to stay in Japan, and not to join Kaname in Argentina.
Still, if White Rose wanted the time gene, they likely would not stop at anything to get it. And if they had their sights set on him and Ichiru, they would get it eventually. It made Zero curious on how they would, though. Did they only need a bit of his DNA? If that was the case, he was screwed. All they needed to do was pull out a handful of his or Ichiru's hair.
Then there was the case of what Salix was hiding from him. The majority of it was meant to be for his own good. So why did Zero feel as though there was something really important in that mix? He didn't like it when he was the last to know. All he really wanted was to know what was going on around him. And that was stupid.
He was removed as Kaname's Handler, and suddenly he felt as though his world was crashing down around him. Was being connected to Kaname that much of a big deal? Zero closed his eyes. It was annoying that his body had no idea what it was doing with itself. It was even worse that Kaien was constantly changing everything.
Zero rolled over, and stared out the window that was beside his bed. The moon shone through, and he sighed. He couldn't imagine not having Kaname by his side, for any period of time. He would never admit it out loud, but he had come to depend on Kaname. Kaname was the one who made all the quick decisions, and made the plans about what their next move would be. Kaname was the one who had spent six months with him in Rose Red.
But Kaname didn't know about Ichiru. That was something that Salix would keep from him. That shady doppelganger knew something about Ichiru that Zero didn't. Frankly it could be a lot. After all, Zero only had twelve years with Ichiru, but Salix probably knew why Ichiru was with Shizuka.
He had kept Kaname awake for the majority of the night, asking questions that he knew the Hima could not possibly answer. It had been a good run, until Kaname just went silent and Zero found out that he had fallen asleep. But now he wanted to talk to someone. He didn't want to go to the old man, as that would just be weird. Angel could not possibly understand, and was likely keeping secrets about Ichiru as well. Salix…well he was Salix. Yuuki was just a no go. And that was around the time that Zero decided he should probably make more friends. Or at least have one person he called a friend. As it stood, all the people he knew were just business associates.
Zero threw back the covers of his bed, and went over to Kaname's. He sat on the edge. Kaname was on his back, an arm over his eyes as he slept deeply. "Kuran," Zero whispered. He got no response. "Kuran." The Hima groaned softly, but didn't wake. Zero slapped Kaname's cheek. Kaname sat up, looking around groggily. "Good, you're awake."
Kaname blinked a few times, and slowly the gray blob in front of him began to receive features. He did not think he would be rudely awoken like that. He was dead tired, and had to leave for a mission in thirty-six hours. Why, oh god why couldn't Zero just let him sleep?
"Is the building on fire?"
Zero frowned. "No."
"Did something happen to Yuuki?"
"No."
"Are we under attack?"
"No?"
"Is Cross-san, Angel-kun or Salix-kun dead?"
"What…? No!"
"Then get back into your own bed and let me sleep!"
Zero blinked. Kaname was a grouchy person when woken up. He never knew that. Instead, he decided to deal with the brunt of Kaname's wrath. He needed to talk to someone, though he wasn't sure what about. He just didn't want to be alone at the moment.
"Kuran…" Zero sighed when he saw that Kaname had fallen asleep again. "Sweet dreams, then."
Zero went back over to his bed. He didn't bother to get under the covers, but he did close the curtains. He knew he was going to feel horrible when the sun was up, and that didn't seem to bother him. It might be because he knew it would be the last day he had with Kaname, before his Hima was shipped off.
Sitting with his back against the window, Zero pulled a knee up to his chest. He rested his chin on the joint as he thought. He still couldn't fully see the reason why Kaien had decided to split them up. And then there was the question on if Salix would know how to handle Kaname. Would he? Salix had been without a Handler for quite some time. Did he remember how it was meant to go? Every Handler Salix had had was no longer living.
Zero tilted his head back; staring up at the ceiling the way a turkey stares up at the rain – mouth open. And then there was also something going on with the old man and the witch doctor. He had seen Kaien in the hallway, and the man didn't even realize he was there. They were making plans to go somewhere overseas, and that was about all that Zero could hear. They were being extremely secretive about it. And Zero hated secrets. They never did anyone any good.
That's the kettle calling the pot 'black', he mused with a roll of his eyes. He knew Kaname's secret, so why was he so scared to tell Kaname that Ichiru is his twin? What difference would it make to their relationship? It wouldn't make any difference. But Zero still could not find it in himself to tell Kaname. He was certain that his Hima had pieced the picture together from what Angel had said, and the way that Zero would avoid the topic.
With a deep breath, Zero got off his bed. He pulled on a white button down shirt, didn't bother with shoes and went to the dorm door. He wasn't getting any answers from the wall, or the ceiling he had been staring at for the last three minutes. And maybe the night air would calm him if he was lucky enough. And besides, what was the worst that could happen?
Zero open the door, and raised an eyebrow at the figure that was sleeping in front of it. The floor was wood, but it still looked uncomfortable to sleep on. With a slight shake of his head, Zero picked up Angel and took him into the dorm. He placed the young Hima on his bed and tucked him in, looking down at his sleeping face. It was much like Kaname's. He grabbed Bloody Rose, just to be on the safe side. He knew they weren't likely to be attacked, but it was a condom situation.
Zero left the dorm again, closing and locking the door. He left the building and stepped into the forest. He never really took any notice of how Kaname and Angel looked when they slept. They were both peaceful, as though all the bad things that had happened to them were non-existent. And when Zero really thought about it, they were both probably dreaming of better times and hoping for the brighter future.
To be honest, Zero would gladly kill everyone in the world if it meant that Kaname's eyes could shine with joy, and that Angel's were always as luminescent as they had been when he heard that White Rose wanted to introduce Himas to the world. Everyone that he cared about was feeling the strain of what Black Rose and Pink Rose were trying to do.
Zero frowned as a mist swirled between the trees. It made the forest look uninviting, and as though it was a set for a bad horror film. As he stepped past the tree line, the mist swirled around him and seemed to cling to his legs. There was obviously someone in the forest that did not want to be disturbed, and that made Zero all the more curious.
As he walked, Zero could feel a presence trying to push him back. He had no idea that there was a Hima on the grounds that could be so forceful. However, Zero knew that if he had the ability to do that, he would do it. Being alone with his thoughts would be much easier to obtain, if he could keep people away.
Zero froze when he heard a voice. "I am aware of his presence."
Was that Salix? Did he know that Zero was there? Zero looked down at the ground. If Salix could manipulate sand, would it be that much of a stretch to use it to his advantage? Zero glanced at the tree he was standing beside. He quickly climbed it, and listened in to what Salix was saying. Why was the ancient Hima talking to someone so late at night, and in the middle of the forest?
"He was the one chosen for this. He will not be a problem, if that is what you are so worried about. You really have no reason to fret. My dear Kaname will play his part perfectly. We will be in Argentina tomorrow, when Cross and Doctor Reed have left."
Zero blinked. The old man and the witch doctor were actually leaving the grounds of Cross? That would leave them all unprotected, with Kaname and Salix out of the country. And exactly what part was Kaname going to perform perfectly? Was Salix already thinking of double-crossing them?
"If you pick us up at the airport…Yes. My dear Kaname will have no choice but to go along with it."
Zero stopped breathing as Salix came into view. The doppelganger was dressed in his uniform, with his top hat on. He spoke into a cell phone, and paused beneath the tree that Zero was in. Slowly, cautiously, Zero pulled out Bloody Rose. He always knew that Salix would betray them. He also knew that shooting the doppelganger would do nothing to him.
"Yes, I am aware. The take over will be swift, and she will not know what hit her until she returns."
A puzzled crease appeared between Zero's brows. Salix wanted to take over White Rose, while Deity was somewhere else? Who was willing to help the Hima with a task like that? And if the heads of the organizations were heading somewhere else, what was the point of sending Kaname and Salix to South America?
Zero glared at Salix when the doppelganger looked up at him, smiling. "I will need to call you back. Do not break anything until I get there." He closed the top of the phone. "What are you doing out here, at this hour, my adorable Zero?"
"I could ask you the same thing. Isn't your room good enough to make strange calls from?" Zero demanded, as he dropped from the branch. "Who were you talking to?"
Salix's grip tightened on his phone. "That is not something that concerns you, my adorable Zero."
"Wrong answer." Zero raised Bloody Rose, aiming between the eyes. "Who were you talking to?"
"That is not something that concerns you, my adorable Zero."
"You mentioned Kuran. If it involves him, then it concerns me." He cocked the gun, narrowing his eyes slightly. "I have no problem with killing you, Judas."
"I know that, my adorable Zero. Please also remember that I promised not to let anything happen to my dear Kaname while we were abroad." Salix lost his smile and gazed at Zero with serious eyes. "I do not intend to break that promise."
Zero lowered his eyes, but the gun stayed where it was. How much could they trust someone that used to work for Black Rose? How much information had Salix given Kaien about that Rose branch? He looked up, and Salix was still staring at him intently.
"Why won't you tell who you were talking to?"
The smile returned, and Zero gritted his teeth. "Simply because it does not concern you, my adorable Zero. You can question me until the sun comes up, and my answer shall not change."
"How much can we trust you?"
Salix opened his eyes, the smile disappearing again. Zero watched as a variety of emotions played through Salix's gold eyes. "Do you feel that you cannot trust me, my adorable Zero? Have I done something to make you feel that way?"
"Stonewalling me about who you were talking to." Zero held up one finger. "Being a former member of Black Rose." A second finger went up. "Being a former member of Cross that went to Black Rose." A third finger. "No. I can't think of any reason why I would feel that way."
"I did not choose the codename Judas. It was given to me. I am a doppelganger, my adorable Zero." Salix's voice held a bitter undertone. "I was ordered to betray Cross, and to join Black Rose. You do realize that I could have killed my dear Kaname over a decade ago? I could have killed you both on the rooftop that day. You cannot distrust me because I was following orders."
Zero lowered the weapon. He had forgotten about that time on the roof; his first mission with Kaname. "What do you know about Ichiru?"
Salix undid the double-breasted overcoat, and then the jacket and finally the vest and shirt. Zero raised an eyebrow as the Hima started to undress in front of him. He placed the clothing on a low hanging branch, and turned his back to Zero, who stared at the pale back. His eyes widened slowly as he realized what he was seeing.
Salix looked at Zero from the corner of his eye. "I believe I know a lot about your psychotic brother, my dear Zero," he said nonchalantly.
Zero's eyes tried to find the beginning of the silver lines that were running around Salix's back. How the hell had Ichiru done it? Why had he done it? How had he been able to scar Salix's ethereal form like that? Why had Salix allowed it to happen?
Salix dressed, figuring he had traumatized Zero enough for one night. "Your brother is quite manipulative when he wants to be. He also knows how to use his body to his advantage, and he has a greater knowledge of my ethereal form than anyone else. I am unsure of how much of that knowledge he has shared with Shizuka. I can only assume that he has shared a great deal of it." He finished doing up the overcoat. With a flick of his right hand, a black rose appeared and he threw it at Zero. "Our goals are the same, my adorable Zero. We go about them in different ways, but the finishing line is in the same place."
Zero looked at the rose. When he looked up again, Salix had disappeared and he sighed. He knew that was going to happen, and yet he was still disappointed. He had a lot more questions about how Ichiru had gotten those wounds on Salix's back to scar. What knowledge was Salix referring to?
With a sigh, Zero headed back to the dorm. As he walked, he stared at the rose in his hand. He rolled his eyes, and threw it to the side. He jogged back to the dorm, just wanting to curl up in bed and forget that that night had happened. He knew he wouldn't. Salix was talking to someone about when he and Kaname would arrive in Argentina. That wasn't something that sat well with him.
Zero entered the dorm soundlessly. He smiled as he saw that Angel looked happy to be asleep in his bed. He slipped Bloody Rose under the pillow, and mused at how someone so small could take up so much room. He tenderly nudged Angel and the boy groaned. He rolled over and gave Zero the room he needed, in his own bed.
"Zero-kun?" Angel opened his mismatched eyes groggily. "Where did you go?"
"To the bathroom. Go back to sleep, kid."
Angel nodded and closed his eyes. Zero could feel his heart thudding away in his chest. He didn't like lying to anyone. But it seemed worse to lie to Angel, and that might have something to do with the fact that Angel trusted him completely.
Zero petted Angel's hair. "Sweet dreams, Angel," he whispered, before finally deciding to let sleep claim him.
Kaname walked out of the shower, drying his hair. When he had woken up, Zero was on his stomach and was now on his side. With his Handler on his side, Kaname could see that Angel was in Zero's bed, curled into the older male's body. Zero held onto Angel protectively, as though he was shielding the boy from bad dreams.
Kaname smiled, kissing the side of Zero's head. He raised his eyes to see that Angel was smirking at him, shaking with suppressed laughter. Kaname narrowed his eyes playfully, and reached over to kiss Angel's forehead. That boy could be too sneaky at times. He was curious on what Angel was doing in their dorm. Since he was in Zero's bed, he could only assume that Angel had had a nightmare and sought comfort in Zero, as strange as that was.
Angel moved onto his knees, and Zero inhaled sharply. He looked at Angel, who was smiling at someone and then looked over his shoulder. Kaname was no longer grumpy, and that was something that Zero was grateful about.
"May we go to Ikebukuro today?" Angel asked.
Kaname and Zero gazed at the boy. It had been a perfectly natural question, but there was a hint of underlining sweetness that both men had noticed Angel used when he thought he was going to be rejected. They didn't see any harm in spending the day in Ikebukuro.
"I don't see why not," Zero answered with a shrug of his shoulders. He threw back the covers, and stretched his arms above his head as he moved into the bathroom.
"Kuran-kun?" Angel lowered his mismatched eyes.
"Is something wrong, Angel-kun?" Kaname enquired. He sat on the edge of the bed, and waited patiently for Angel to continue.
Angel crawled off the bed and stood in front of Kaname. He hugged the older Hima, and he could feel Kaname's surprise. "I'm going to miss you, Kaname."
Kaname blinked, but hugged Angel back. "I will not be gone that long, Angel-kun. And remember that I will have Salix-kun with me. You have nothing to worry about."
Angel pulled back slightly. He studied Kaname's wine eyes, as though he expected Kaname to lie to him. He grinned and nodded. "I'm going to head back to my room, so I can get ready for our day out!"
Kaname chuckled as Angel ran out of the room. "You have half an hour, okay?"
"Okay!" Angel confirmed, the door slamming shut.
Kaname smiled, tilting his head back. He stared at the ceiling, and decided that a day out in Ikebukuro with Angel and Zero was the best way to spend a day before a mission. He leveled his head, and raised an eyebrow as he sensed someone at the door to the dorm.
"It's open," he called when the person knocked.
The door opened, and Ingrid's head popped in. She stepped in, keeping the door open as that was the policy of Cross. "I apologize for disturbing you, Kuran-san," she said, as she bowed. "Cross-san asked me to inform you what will be happening while you were in South America."
Kaname kept a sigh in. He got to his feet, and accepted the file that Ingrid held out. "Thank you, Ingrid-kun. Would you please relay another message?" Ingrid nodded. "Tell Cross-san that Kiryu-kun, Angel-kun and I will be spending a few hours in Ikebukuro today."
"Of course, Kuran-san. Have fun today." Ingrid bowed and left the room, closing the door.
Zero stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist. He stared at the file that was in Kaname's hand. "Did I just hear Ingrid's voice?"
"Yes. It seems that there have been some changes that happened after I left Cross-san's office yesterday."
"He and the witch doctor are going somewhere. I think it was Geneva." Zero opened his closet. They were heading out into the city, and decided that he could afford to dress casually for that.
Kaname stared at Zero's exposed torso, before the platinum male turned away. "Geneva?" he repeated. He opened the file and scanned the information. "All the leaders have been called there, to discuss who is getting Europe."
Zero finished pulling his boxers on under the towel, and paused. Cross was going to be left without its leader? He moved over to Kaname, and also read what was in the file. "This is too strange," he muttered, remembering what he had overheard with Salix earlier that morning.
"Is something wrong, Kiryu-kun?"
Zero didn't know how to explain it, without making him sound paranoid. "I couldn't sleep last night, so I went for a little walk. I overheard Sandman talking to someone, and he refused to tell me who it was. Apparently it didn't concern me. It had something to do with you and him going to Argentina."
Kaname nodded slowly. There were some things he didn't want to think about. One of them was the fact that Salix had been a member of Black Rose. He didn't know how much he could trust the doppelganger. He knew he would have to wait until Salix betrayed him, as he didn't want to seem insane for automatically jumping the gun.
Still, he knew that Zero didn't gossip about people. "What did you hear?"
"Sandman wants White Rose. He was talking to someone about taking it over. I don't know how he was going to do it, as he was aware that I was in the forest. It didn't stop him from letting me hear what he said. He likely chose his words very carefully." Zero dropped the towel and turned his back to Kaname, as he thought. "He said that he wouldn't let any harm come to you, and I'm inclined to believe him. I don't want to, though."
Kaname continued to read the file. Once they were in Argentina, they would be picked up by Deity's second in command. It was her older brother, Rufus. He was known for not speaking, at all. He never said anything, to the point that people thought he was a mute. That seemed all well and good, but Kaname had a suspicion about the man. If he didn't speak, why was that?
"Let me worry about Argentina, and what Salix might be up to. I need you to look after Angel while we're away. He seems…upset about something. I don't know if it is because Salix is leaving, or if it is because he and I are leaving. It isn't like him to ask to spend a day with us." Kaname closed the file, and placed it on the bed. "After all, Salix was in England with us for six months, and now he will be leaving again."
Kaname saw the way that Zero's shoulders tensed. It was clear to him that his Handler had not thought of that, and Kaname did not blame him. Not many people would have thought about it. Salix was the only constant figure in Angel's life, and it was something that Kaname wanted to keep for the child. He had no one else, and if Salix suddenly disappeared for good, it wouldn't go down well for him.
"I'll look after him," Zero said, as he turned to Kaname.
Kaname got to his feet and went over to Zero, who was still shirtless. He placed a hand on Zero's shoulder, and slowly slid it up to his neck. "Thank you."
Zero raised an eyebrow. He took hold of Kaname's hand, and twisted it upwards. He glared at his Hima. "You know I don't like to be touched like that. Do it again, and I will hurt you."
Kaname bit his lower lip and nodded, exhaling shakily when Zero released his hand. He didn't think his reaction would be that, but at least he knew what Zero's limits were. Usually, though, Zero didn't seem bothered by being touched. Kaname had to assume that what happened earlier that morning was upsetting Zero more than usual.
Zero finished dressing and Kaname opened the door, just as Salix was about to knock on it. Kaname raised an eyebrow, curious on what was happening around Cross lately. Salix never knocked, if he could help it.
"We are leaving today, my dear Kaname," he said, glancing down at Angel. "Our flight was changed, as the flight for Geneva was changed."
Kaname felt the eyes of Angel and Zero on him, but he couldn't pay attention to them at that moment. He had to determine if Salix was being serious. There wasn't a smile on his face and his eyes looked tortured. It was clear that he didn't want to ruin a good day.
Unfortunately, Kaname knew that they had to arrive in Argentina the same day that Deity left, which meant that they would be behind already. If anything, the proceedings in Geneva should keep everyone tied up there for days, if not weeks. Deciding what secret organization gets what country had to be a delicate process.
"I'm sorry, Angel-kun," Kaname said as he got on one knee. "You will have to spend the day in Ikebukuro with Kiyu-kun."
"Okay!"
Kaname didn't know what kind of reaction he was expecting from Angel. Something told him that he wasn't expecting the boy to be happy about him and Salix leaving. On the other hand, Angel always preferred Zero over Kaname, and he got to spend an entire day along with him. It was probably a dream for Angel.
Watching Angel and Zero walk down the hallway was a little saddening. He glanced up at Salix, who was also watching the pair leave. He looked back at Kaname, smiling and stepping to the side. He took the ticket from Salix and walked down the hallway. They left the building, heading towards the waiting car. They got in.
"When does Cross-san leave?" Kaname asked, trying to think of anything to talk about. He didn't know Salix that well, since the man didn't like to speak.
"Cross and Aurora left a couple of hours ago." Salix crossed his legs and closed his eyes.
"So they would be in Geneva before we're in Argentina?"
"I have no idea, Kuran-kun."
Kaname nodded slowly. He knew that Salix didn't want to talk about, which made him question why he was being secretive about it. Salix always knew a lot more than he let on, but there was something happening in Geneva that he wanted to avoid. Kaname knew he couldn't force it out of Salix, so he closed his eyes and hoped that the trip to Argentina would be done without hassle.
Kaien woke with a start when there was a series of rapid knocks at the door to his room. Aurora was still snoring merrily on the other bed, and didn't appear to have heard anything.
With a groan, Kaien got to his feet and went to the open the door. He stopped when he saw two white envelopes had been slipped under the door. The person that did that honestly couldn't have left it with the front desk?
Kaien picked up the envelopes and went back to his bed. He kicked Aurora's bed and she rolled over, only to hit the floor with a thud.
Her head popped up over the side. Her dirty blond hair was sticking up at bizarre angles and her duel-chromatic eyes were half-closed. She rested her head on the mattress and began snoring again.
Kaien sighed and shook his head. It was clear that she wasn't going to wake until she was ready. He opened the envelope that had his name scrolled on it and pulled out an embossed, white sheet of paper.
"You are invited to join the fellow leaders of Black Rose, Pink Rose, Purple Rose and White Rose at Geneva International Conference Center. This is to discuss the new ruler of Europe, since it has come to our attention that Crystal Strathom and Rose Red have been destroyed," he read from the paper.
Aurora awoke with a snort and stumbled into the bathroom, slamming the door shut. Kaien sat on his bed, running his hand through his wheat colored hair.
He had read Kaname preliminary report on what happened in England, and he knew that he was visited by Savior. The last thing he needed was Savior mentioning that Cross had infiltrated the country or that there were even Cross Agents in the country.
Kaien knew that Sirin had covered his, Kimiko's and Izumi's tracks by destroying Rose Red Mansion. That would have removed any content of Kaname and Zero being there, but if Savior mentioned seeing Kaname before that then it would be hard to claim innocence.
Unfortunately, Savior could have the uncanny, natural ability to make the Virgin Mary pose for a centerfold. His honeyed tongue could charm bees from a hive, or charm a toad to climb a tree. It was rather interesting to witness, but Kaien knew he often fell victim to that same charm.
However, it could be that Savior wouldn't mention anything of seeing Kaname in England a few months before Rose Red disappeared. If he was really lucky, which he highly doubted, Savior might have even forgotten that fact.
Aurora exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body, looking refreshed and ready to face the world. "You don't have much time for a shit, shower and shave. I'm sorry, but I took too long."
Kaien, finally familiar enough with the expression 'shit, shower and shave,' nodded his head and went into the bathroom. He relieved his bladder, showered quickly and decided that the day's old growth was fine.
He left the bathroom with the towel around his waist. Aurora said she would wait outside and Kaien dressed quickly. He wore the white uniform of the leader of Cross, complete with white shirt and white tie, and pulled on the white cape.
On the back of the cape there was a Catholic style cross embroidered in silver thread. It was the only piece of clothing that the leader of Cross had that made him stand out against the Agents.
Aurora was dressed in the skirt uniform of a regular Cross Agent, even though she is retired. She played with the large red bow that hung around her neck. It was as though she felt it wasn't sitting correctly, but Kaien knew that she was nervous and he didn't blame her.
He wasn't looking forward to entering a room filled with their enemies. He didn't want to see any of them, which was why he had thousands of Agents to send out.
They entered the elevator, both taking deep breaths as they went down. Kaien knew that he had to project confidence, or one of the officials might think he's not the leader of Cross.
Once the elevator doors opened on the ground floor, they were approached by a woman in a dark blue skirt suit. She smiled kindly at them and directed them towards the door. Outside of the hotel were five black cars.
Upon seeing them, the driver of the first car opened the door for Kaien and Aurora. They got in, the door was closed and Aurora immediately began flicking her nails.
"Would you relax? Your being nervous makes me nervous."
"Well, I'm sorry! This is my first time at one of these things. I wasn't included in the Conference of 1939," she hissed back, running her hands through her hair.
"Everything will be fine."
Aurora turned to him and cocked an eyebrow. Kaien quickly lowered his eyes, knowing she could tell when he was fibbing. He had no idea how it was going to be. The Conference of 1939 had ended with Kaien taking over Cross and the attending party being plunged into a world war.
The rest of the trip was done in silence. Aurora had stopped flicking her nails and moved to chewing her lower lip. Kaien was twiddling his thumbs, trying to remind himself that he wasn't in trouble. He would be fine and that this conference was part of being a leader.
The car stopped in front of the Conference Center and Kaien managed to keep a scream in. Aurora inhaled deeply, muttered something about being a doctor and that she could face whatever was waiting for them. Kaien's hand shook as he reached for the handle, but the door was opened before he could touch it.
With minimal grace, Kaien got out of the car and waited for Aurora. The little pep talk she gave herself seemed to have worked as she strode into the Center confidently. Kaien followed with much less self-assurance.
The woman at the front desk took one look at them, smiled and pressed a button. An elderly man came down the escalator.
"Kaien and Doctor Reed?" he called, grinning when they nodded. "Please follow me."
Kaien tried not to think of the way that the man butchered his name and followed a step behind Aurora. They went up the escalator. That was all he remembered until they entered a boardroom.
"Please wait here for the others to arrive. Feel free to help yourself to coffee, tea, biscuits and donuts." The elderly man grinned again before he closed the door.
Kaien sat on the side of the table that was opposite the drinks. He wanted to be as far away as possible, so he wouldn't have to make small talk with anyone. He could also observe them.
Aurora sat beside him, after she got herself a coffee and made him a tea. "Do you think we'll have to wait long?"
The next moment the doors opened. Neither saw who it was, but the white cape with the purple rose embroidered on the back was a subtle indication of who had entered. The man and his partner helped themselves to the coffee and sat down in front of the drinks station.
Four pairs of eyes met. Kaien had actually forgotten about Rido. It might have something to do with the fact that Kaname never mentions his uncle or that the man never visits his nephew.
"Kuran Rido," Kaien muttered spitefully.
Aurora looked at the man in the cape. "Is he related to Kaname-san?"
Kaien nodded, his eyes narrowing as he continued to stare at the man. "That's Kaname's uncle."
"Come, come!" Rido said in fluent Japanese as he rested back in his chair, a smirk settling on his lips. "If you're going to talk about me, you could at least do it to my face."
"We were just talking about how you never see your nephew," Kaien shot back. He didn't want to provoke Rido too much, as he wasn't sure if the man was a Hecate or not.
"Is that really my fault?" Rido inquired innocently. "I'm not the one claiming to be the last Kuran."
Kaien's lips pursed but he took a deep breath. "He is the last Kuran, in Japan."
Rido chuckled, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hand. "Is that why he's in such high demand? I heard that Crystal was going to declare war on the world of Himas because she had my sweet nephew in her grasp." He sighed and pouted mockingly. "I'm surprised you didn't bring him with you for this little trip. Isn't he your protégé?"
Kaien knew that Rido was baiting him for answers. It seemed to be that there was a rumor running around. When he received no answer, Rido tutted and sat back.
"I guess I'll have to wait to see him, then. How is my dear nephew doing, being all alone?"
"He isn't alone," Aurora said before Kaien could reply.
"Oh?" Rido's copper eyes lit up in a way that made Kaien very uncomfortable. "I might send him a fruit basket to congratulate him. It's very difficult for a Kuran to find the right Handler, after all."
As Rido whispered something to the woman beside him, who brought out a day planner, Kaien glared at Aurora. The doctor lowered her head and Kaien knew she didn't understand.
He didn't have time to scold her, as the doors opened again. Two black capes; one with a pink rose and the other was a white rose. They sat down without getting drink and glances were exchanged.
Kaien's wheat eyes met the pastel pink eyes of Shizuka, the woman that murdered Zero's family. His eyes widened when he saw Zero's identical twin brother sitting beside her. He smirked and his handsome features became unattractive.
Feeling even better about his decision to leave Zero in Japan, Kaien nailed his gaze to the table he was sitting at. He glanced up at Deity, who had a young woman beside her. They were conversing in low tones, gazing at him and Aurora every few moments.
"Do you get the feeling that they know something we should?"
Kaien shrugged his shoulders. He didn't know what to think or feel at that moment. He knew that Zero's brother was staring at him, probably wondering why he didn't bring Zero. Rido was still whispering to the woman beside him and Shizuka appeared bored.
Just as he was getting the nerve to ask Deity why she was looking at him, the doors opened and the final white cape entered. On the back was a black rose and Kaien's anger boiled over.
Savior shook hands with Rido. He kissed each cheek of Deity and Shizuka, and threw a jolly smile at Kaien, who got to his feet. He didn't care if they were in a neutral country, he would murder Savior.
Aurora pulled Kaien down to his seat. "Don't give in to him," she warned quietly. "We can't have him copying your ability."
"I see that you decided not to bring Kaname or Zero," Savior stated as he pulled out the chair beside the empty one for his female companion. "That's s shame."
Ichiru slammed his fists on the table at the mention of Zero, causing Deity and the woman beside her to jump slightly. Ichiru relaxed when Shizuka placed a hand on his and murmured something in his ear.
Savior stared at Ichiru thoughtfully, as though seeing the boy for the first time. "You have a brother complex. You know you'll never be as good as him."
Ichiru stood up, as did Savior. Shizuka didn't bother with trying to calm Ichiru again and the woman with Savior was watching the showdown with interest.
"Go on. Give me one of your abilities. I wouldn't mind that time stopping ability you have. I could put that to good use." Savior snickered, which seemed to be the breaking point for Ichiru.
The platinum-haired teen swung his right hand in front of him, almost as if he was throwing a ball. When nothing happened, he tried it again.
Aurora's head snapped to Kaien, who was just as dumbfounded as the rest of the people. He hadn't negated the attack, as he didn't care what happened to Savior. It seemed that someone more powerful was doing it.
The doors opened. The elderly man and two other entered. They sat at the only empty table. The elderly man was between a young man and a young woman. His grin was still in place.
"You cannot attack each other with your abilities here. We have a Psire that is preventing that. You can only use words and maybe fists," he explained lightly as he opened a briefcase and pulled out a thick stack of papers.
Kaien glanced at Aurora from the corner of his eye. He knew they would have to go over the minutes of the last Conference, which could take days. The first thing that had to happen was a roll call, though. Geneva had to make sure that everyone of importance was in attendance.
"Savior and Yasmine of Black Rose?"
"Present," Savior replied.
"Kaien Cross and Doctor Aurora Reed of Cross?"
"Present," Kaien answered.
"Shizuka and Ichiru Kiryu of Pink Rose?"
"Yes," Shizuka said softly.
"Rido Kuran and Lenore of Purple Rose?"
"Present," Rido replied.
"Deity and Maria of White Rose?"
"Present," Deity answered.
"Very well, that is everyone. Now, onto the first order of business. Why do more than half of you not have a surname?"
The question took everyone by surprise. After a few moments, they stopped and thought about it. No one could give a decent answer.
The elderly man shook his head and a quiet sigh. "It does not matter, since you are meant to be secret organizations. Having surnames would just make that difficult." He muttered something to the two people on either side of him. "Right then. We shall start with the minutes of the last conference."
There was a series of groans.
"Yes, yes I know. It is horrible to be young and have several days taken up because we never completed the minutes of the last one." The man glared at them. "Just wait until we get to the Contracts of each Branch."
Kaien's head collapsed to the desk as the man picked up one sheet of paper, and placed on thick eyeglasses to read the fine print. He could only hope that the Psire would die and they could murder each other.
Kaname and Salix ran through the forest surrounding the White Rose headquarters. They hid behind a large tree and Kaname tried to catch his breath and stop his legs from shaking.
The moment they arrived at the gates to the mansion, they were held hostage in the car at gun point. Kaname managed to knock three of the five unconscious and Salix killed the remaining two.
As soon as Kaname left the car, an alarm sounded and reinforcements came charging out of the doors. Kaname had tried to freeze them in place, but his abilities were nullified the moment they passed through the gates.
So he did the only thing he could do – run.
He and Salix had been trying to lose the gun nuts for the last twenty minutes. For some reason, even in the forest, his abilities wouldn't work. He had removed his jacket and vest, but even the shirt felt as though it weighed a ton.
"I thought…you said we…would have…an ally…waiting…for us," Kaname panted as he tilted his head back.
Salix removed his top hat and ran his hands through his ridiculously long hair. "I do not know what happened. It is likely that someone discovered what was being planned and decided to put an end to it."
Kaname groaned. His lungs felt like they were on fire and he would have killed for a glass of water. He wiped the sweat off his brow with the sleeve of his shirt and looked around the tree.
He couldn't see any movement, but he knew they were still out there. He honestly didn't know what to do without the use of his abilities. He glanced at Salix.
"How are you still here? Isn't your doppelgänger thing an ability?"
"It is and it is not. It is more magical than a standard ability. I will try to remove the threat, but I cannot guarantee that all of them will survive."
The searing feeling was beginning to disappear from his lungs and Kaname straightened. "I don't care about that right now."
Salix stepped around the tree and froze. "Oh hell. They have dogs."
"And?" Kaname asked, rolling his shoulders.
"I hope you are not suggesting that I murder an animal. I cannot do that."
Kaname exclaimed in horror. "I would never suggest that!"
Knowing that there was no way around the dog thing, Kaname took a few deep breaths. The only thing he could do was continue running, and would hopefully get into the mansion before he was caught and tortured. He didn't know anything about the friend they were supposed to have waiting for them, but knew that Salix would be by his side.
"Okay. Where am I?"
"The mansion is one and half kilometers that way." Salix pointed to the left of where they were resting.
"One and a… That explains why I'm so tired. I'll see you there."
With another deep breath, Kaname began running again. Almost instantly his lungs felt as though they were on fire, but he tried to ignore it. It wasn't going that well.
He came to a sudden halt when he saw a lone dog, falling painfully on his rear. It was sniffing the ground and raised its head. When it didn't snarl or make any kind of sound, Kaname stepped around it and continued running.
That incident just raised a question. He wasn't sure if Salix's ethereal forms had a scent to them, so he naturally assumed that he was the one being chased. Of course, it could be that the dog was just a stray as it didn't have a handler.
He was about a third of the way through, when he decided it was time for another rest. When he got back to Japan, he was going to try out for the track team at Cross.
Kaname looked over his shoulder when the stray dog began to bark. He groaned when he saw another dog and that one had a handler, who was yelling out orders in Spanish. He didn't know what they were saying, but it really didn't sound good.
The dog pulled at its leash and Kaname knew it was time to run again. He didn't stop until he tripped over a tree root and landed in a puddle of mud and muck. The smell made him wretch, but he tried to ignore it as much as the searing lungs.
The white pants of his uniform were destroyed. He tried to wipe the mud out of his eyes and see how far off he was. He stumbled to his feet and rested against a low hanging branch.
At that moment, Kaname didn't care if they caught him. All he wanted was to stop running. Unfortunately, his logic decided to kick in at that moment, and happily told him that if he was caught, he was likely to be executed.
He took a deep breath and had to spit out the mud that went into his mouth. He went to wipe his lips with the sleeve of his shirt, until he remembered that it was as dirty as his face.
There was a howl from behind him and Kaname pushed off of the branch. He was going to hurt the dog handlers if they didn't back off and give him a few more minutes of rest before he had to attempt to run through the forest.
He ran for another five minutes before he collapsed against a tree. His legs were shaking too badly to continue with his cardio workout. His couldn't even feel his head anymore, due to lack of oxygen. He was almost certain he had no adrenaline left in his glands.
Kaname hugged the tree. If he found that friend that Salix mentioned, he was going to kill them. He couldn't think of anything worse than being betrayed.
He was too tired to even jump when Salix appeared in front of him. Salix brushed a few leaves off of his overcoat and looked Kaname over, raising an eyebrow.
"You look terrible," he stated. "I do not need to know how you managed that, but I do need to ask you to continue running."
Kaname rested his head against the tree's trunk. His heart felt as though it was going to beat out of his chest. His legs could barely hold him and his hands and arms were locked into place around the tree. He couldn't run even if he wanted to.
It was perfectly fine for Salix; the man didn't have a real body that could get tired. Kaname wasn't a machine like the doppelgänger. He couldn't ignore all the problems of his body.
The unfortunate truth of the fact was that Kaname knew he had to continue. He didn't have the option of giving up, which was annoying him immensely.
"Do I have much left?"
"Just under a kilometer."
Kaname was hoping he had gotten further than that. He was hoping that he would take two or three steps and see the high walls that surrounded the White Rose mansion. He was hoping against hope that this nightmare would end.
After a few deep breaths, which didn't help in the slightest, Kaname started his run again. He usually didn't want to kill people that were only following orders, but Kaname would happily slaughter the people that were chasing him.
He lost track of time, but he knew that his pace was slowing until it was a walk. There was a sharp pain his side, which he assumed was a stitch that was making breathing even more difficult.
Just as the sun was beginning to set, Kaname finally came across the tall wall. It was completely smooth, giving him no options of climbing it. When he checked the surrounding area, he saw that the trees close to the wall had been removed and the branches that would normally go over the wall had been cut back.
Despite the anger he felt about that, he had to admit that Deity thought of everything when it came to protecting her mansion. It didn't help with his situation, but he would wait for Salix to return.
After nine seconds, Kaname sat with his back against the wall. He didn't care what it would do to his burning muscles, all he wanted was to rest. He had spent the better part of the afternoon running through the forest like an escaped convict, he would be damned if he wasn't going to enjoy the scenery.
He didn't bother to count the minutes that he was waiting. He didn't care that he smelled like crap, or what he believed a skunk would smell like. He didn't care that his face was streaked with mud and whatever else was in that puddle. He didn't care that the bottom of his pants were ruined from branches and roots sticking up, or that he would never get those pants white again.
All that mattered was that he was finally allowed to sit down. The stitch in his side was finally starting to disappear and his breathing was less ragged.
He attempted to run a hand through his hair, forgetting that it was caked with sweat and dirt. He closed his eyes for a few moments and when he opened them, Salix was standing in front of him with a man.
"What took so long?"
Salix smiled behind the hand that was held to his nose. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is for a mute to call off a chase?"
Kaname looked at the man standing beside Salix. He had shocking red hair and inquisitive eyes of the same color. His lips turned up slightly as he held his hand out to Kaname.
"He is a mute?" Kaname asked he took the hand, using the wall to help him up.
"This is Rufus, Deity's second in command," Salix explained, taking three large steps away from Kaname. "His codename is Leo."
Kaname closed his eyes. He was trying to delude himself into believing that Rufus wasn't like Scorpio. He couldn't deal with another Zodiac.
"Is he…?" Kaname's eyes flitted over to Salix, who nodded solemnly. "We're in a lot of trouble, then."
End Chapter IX.
We are so sorry that it took so long to update! Mister Panther has decided to work more on his novels and left this story to me, except when he feels like giving me a helping hand. I was also hit with a doubt of depression, but that's no excuse! The story must go on! So all I can do is apologize and beg you to forgive me! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!
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