Part 10

(Aoshi POV)

Returning to his apartment, while Kenshin ran up to Misao's to get Karou, Aoshi saw Sano and Katsu sitting at the table with a man who Aoshi could only assume to be the CI. He was as tall as Sano with long blond hair that stood up and a left eye that looked like it was closed, giving him the appearance of winking.

"Sagura, I presume this is your source," he said as all three men turned to look at him.

"Ice man meet Chou. Weapons dealer, bookie and all round snake. Chou this is Detective Shinomori who I was telling you about," said Sano as he gave Chou a hard look.

"What? Come on roosterhead, I'm not all bad," said the man with a very distinct southern drawl. "I'm helping you aren't I?"

"Only because we caught you screwing a pro in the backseat of your car, which I might add, was full of knives, swords, guns and C4 explosives," shot back Katsu who narrowed his eyes.

"What do you have? Where is Misao?" said Aoshi tired of the back and forth.

"Yes Sano, you texted me that you knew where she was, so please tell us," said Kenshin from behind Aoshi as he walked in holding very tightly to Karou's hand.

"Well, to be honest cowboy, your chick is in a heap of trouble, I'll tell you that," began Chou as he leaned back in the chair and put his arms behind his head. "Lord Shishio keeps his private life private for the most part for these reasons, but lucky for you I happen to know a lot about Shishio and his family."

"His family?" said Aoshi. "We've been chasing him for years and now he has a family all of a sudden?"

"Not all of a sudden, he's been with his wife for 30 years and they actually have a 28 year old son who you (he's pointing at Aoshi) happen to have already met," smirked Chou as Aoshi's eyes got wide.

Everyone was flabbergasted and no one dared to speak for sometime until Karou bravely cleared her throat and spoke, "Please tell us who has Misao."

Chou acknowledged her presence for the first time since she arrived and smirked seductively at her, causing Kenshin to tighten his grab on her and growl at Chou.

"Well sweet thing there's only three people Shishio would trust for a job like this, his best friend, Enishi Yukishiro, his wife, Yumi and his son, Soujiro Seta."

"Soujiro Seta!" Karou and Aoshi screamed at the same time.

"As in Coach Seta from Misao's university? The same creep that keeps asking her out every week?" Karou said with sound of surprise.

Aoshi's mind was reeling, Coach Seta! I knew he seemed off. How he managed to be at that location right when I was there. It wasn't an innocent greeting it was him keeping tabs on them.

"Who is the mother? I've never heard of a Yumi," said Kenshin as he wrapped his arm around Karou in an attempt to calm her.

"Lord Shishio made sure to keep her hidden from the world. She was a Chinese concubine who he had met early in his career. She was the one in charge of his prostitution ring and don't let her fool you, she is one nasty woman with some ruthless business skills. She worked in the shadows and went by her maiden name of Seta, so as to keep her hidden from Shishio's enemies and the authorities," said Chou.

"Where can I find them?" Aoshi was insistant, he was growing tired of this game now. "I want my Misao today!"

"Can't help you with that cowboy, but I may know someone who can," Chou pulled out a piece of folded paper and handed it to Katsu. "That's Kamatari, she's Shishio's ex and while she is 100% faithful to Shishio she hates Yumi with a passion for taking him away from her. If anyone is willing to flip on her it would be her, but that's all I know."

Katsu quickly escorted Chou out while Sano made a phone call to Megumi to dig up everything on Yumi Seta and her son. They told Aoshi they'd be in touch and left to go see Kamatari.

"Aoshi, I'm going to take Karou home and stay with her until tomorrow, we will be back in the morning," Kenshin walked over to his partner who stood like a statute in the middle of his living room and put his hand on his shoulder. "We will find her Aoshi I promise." With that he and Karou left.

Aoshi barely moved for a while but soon his feet he moving to the balconey where he stared out at the stars, his mind a million items going all at once, but the one thing that was constant in those thoughts was his tiny little ninja girl who was standing on her head the first time he walked into her apartment. The thought made his heart ache and his lungs burn as Aoshi did something he hadn't done in year.

Detective Aoshi Shinomori, one of the top homicide cops in the city and former leader of the S.W.A.T team, cradled his head in his hands and cried.

A short chapter I know, but an intense one. I know Kamatari is a transvesite, but I think he works as a woman in this story. :) Don't count Misao down and out yet, remember what she said about Japanese women? Stay tuned and thank you all for your reviews and encouragement. This is my favorite story to write so fair. I will be posting more real soon. Please keep those reviews coming so I know I'm going the right way! xoxoxo