Chapter 10

It was full dark when Tsuzuki knocked on the door of the Kokakuro.

Oriya answered the door personally. "Of course." he muttered, seeing Tsuzuki standing there. "Your friends are out back."

Tsuzuki tilted his head in confusion, but followed Oriya back through the restaurant to the back gardens.

"I believe they're that way." Oriya pointed off to the left and then went back inside, closing the door behind him and leaving Tsuzuki to his own devices. Tsuzuki looked after him for a moment, then shrugged and hurried off in the direction that Oriya had indicated.

He almost ran into Tatsumi before he noticed him. The secretary was standing in the dark, unmoving, staring off towards the parking lot.

"Tatsumi! What are you doing here?"

Tatsumi turned at the sound of Tsuzuki's voice and fixed him with a recriminating glare. "Where have you been all day?"

Tatsumi listened to the muttered excuses until he caught the word 'Muraki'.

"You've seen that damn doctor?"

Tsuzuki fidgeted. "Yes."

"When?"

"Most of the day, he's looking for Hisoka too. He took off about an hour ago, he said he had to take care of some business."

"That we know." Tatsumi stated calmly, "He showed up here, attacked Kurosaki-kun and disappeared again."

Tsuzuki's violet eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. "That was his business?"

"Apparently."

"Is Hisoka alright? Where is he?" Tsuzuki looked around as if he expected his partner to step out of the darkness.

"He's gone."

Violet eyes locked on Tatsumi.

"A woman took him away, she was suspicious of us and wouldn't let us near him."

"Us?"

"Watari and I. Tsuzuki, there's something wrong with Kurosaki." Tatsumi pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, avoiding the worried violet eyes riveted on him.

"Wrong? Like what?"

"He ran from Watari, Tsuzuki."

"He ran, but why?"

"I don't know, and that lady dragged him off before we were able to learn anything."

"And now he's gone again."

Tatsumi placed his fingers beneath Tsuzuki's chin and lifted until he could meet the despairing eyes. "Don't worry so much Tsuzuki. Watari is following them and he'll let us know if anything happens."

"But I should…"

"And you will, but not right now. Right now you are going to go home and get some sleep, and you will show up for work in the morning." Tatsumi let a very small smile touch his lips. "Then I will send you out to relieve Watari."

For a moment Tsuzuki looked like he was going to protest, but then he nodded. "Thank you Tatsumi."

XXX

"Free me!"

Hisoka awoke with a start and bolted upright.

"Are you okay?"

"Shori?" He looked over to see Shori looking at him with concern before turning her attention back to the road. "What happened?" He tried to remember, but everything scattered as he tried to call the memories to mind. He remembered Kazutaka was there, but not the way he remembered him, or was he? And there were other men there… The blonde from the Kokakuro and another, rather intimidating man. And pain, he remembered lots of pain. He could also remember the dreams, but they seemed hazy and far away, people talking, about him? About somebody who had been murdered. And the sakura grove again. He had been so close, the chains were falling apart, but he still hadn't been able to break them.

"I don't know what happened, but you've been out of it for a long time." Shori's voice drew him out of his musings. "Its morning and we just got into Kumoto about twenty minutes ago. I decided not to stop in Osaka after all."

Hisoka turned to look out the window at the passing scenery but his didn't see anything that seemed familiar. He shook his head at himself, he really didn't expect any different, or so he tried to tell himself. He yawned and stretched his arms over his head…

And was nearly thrown to the floor as the car skidded and slammed to a stop.

"Oh my god!" Shori grabbed his wrist and pushed the sleeve further up his arm and they both looked in amazement at the red lines trailing their way up under the shirt. "What did they do to you?"

"I…I…"

"I'd better get you to a hospital!" Shori pulled the car back out into traffic with a determined expression on her face.

Alarm bells went off in Hisoka's mind. "No, I don't think…"

"Don't argue!" Shori interrupted. "You need help!"

It took less than ten minutes for Shori to find what she was looking for.

Hisoka looked up at the large modern building as Shori dragged him out of the car and to the entrance.

Jikei Hospital.

He had such a bad feeling about this…

XXX

Muraki climbed out of bed, not in the best of moods. The previous evening did not go the way he had planned. Frowning he cursed the shadow master for his interference. By now his doll would be tucked away in Meifu, safely out of his reach. Well, as far out of his reach as they could get him, the boy was never completely safe from him. And with that thought Muraki reached out to feel for the curse he had placed on Hisoka, his strings…

And froze.

And smiled.

The bouya was still on Chijou.

A chuckle escaped his lips, it seems he had one more chance to bring his wayward puppet home. His mood considerably lightened, Muraki hurried to get dressed.

XXX

The morning light fell bight and warm on the Jo-On-Cho, and the employees of Enma-cho got the shock of a lifetime as they watched Tsuzuki stride into the building, early.

"I think Hell just froze over." Terazuma Hajime muttered into his morning coffee, only to receive a reprimanding smack on the arm from his partner.

Tsuzuki went straight to Tatsumi's office without acknowledging his co-workers, rapped on the door once and entered at Tatsumi's summons.

Tatsumi spoke as Tsuzuki stopped in front of his desk. "Watari called just a little while ago, they just entered Kumoto, so I can send you to replace him without having to make any justifications, since they're now officially in the Kyushu region." He looked up to see that Tsuzuki looked…troubled.

"Ah, Tatsumi, there's something I'd like to ask you about… About Hisoka…"

Tatsumi pushed his papers to the side and leaned forward. "And what would that be?"

"Well Muraki said some things…"

Tatsumi raised an eyebrow.

"That Hisoka isn't…that he's…not human. That he's…he's…" Tsuzuki head was bowed so low that his words were nearly inaudible, but Tatsumi had sharp ears. "…like me."

"And?"

Tsuzuki looked up surprised. "And?"

"Is Muraki right?" Tatsumi leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "You know Kurosaki-kun better than anyone, you should know by now what he is and what he isn't. So…"

A momentary look of confusion melted into a genuine smile. "It doesn't matter. Hisoka is Hisoka. That's enough."

Tatsumi returned the smile. "Good. Now, Watari's been out all night, so you are ordered to relieve him. Go get your partner."

Tsuzuki stood up and had taken only a few steps towards the door when Tatsumi's phone rang.

"Tatsumi desu."

A pause.

"Yes, Tsuzuki was just on his way."

Tsuzuki turned back towards the desk, taking in Tatsumi's rather startled looking expression.

"Fine, I'll see you soon then." He ended the phone call and turned his attention back to Tsuzuki. "They're at Jikei Hospital. Watari's waiting for you in the lobby."