Roppongi Hills Spa Resort, Tokyo, Japan II:
Hei woke up to what he presumed to be an empty house except for himself and Mao. A noisy empty stomach urged him off of his futon. He stepped over Mao, who camped in front of the door in his room and proceeded to kitchen. Sunlight seeped through the half closed windows, bring light to the otherwise dark home. The place was far too large for just two people, and as Hei turned the corner he counted two other unused bedrooms.
Light from somewhere was shining into the living area. Hei followed it to the office, where the door was still wide open. He paused, peering into the space. The door to the garden had also been left open. La's computer still set on the desk, the battery dying some time during the night. Next to it was another empty bottle of saké he assumed and an empty cup. Cautiously he walked in fully, glancing about just in-case a certain contractor had returned. The room was empty and Hei closed the door to the terrace. He paused by her computer, debating on whether he should see what was the last thing she found. His stomach overruled the thought propelling him back towards the kitchen. He grabbed the bottle of saké and left.
Despite being a contractor, hunger often took precedence over the former. Hei's stomach once again guided him through the maze of a house. When the kitchen came into view, a growl resonated in his gut. He didn't even flinch at the sound, having become accustom to constant rumble. Eyes trained on the entrance, Hei nearly tripped over…a shoe? He looked down, seeing the small shoe on the floor between the kitchen and living room. It was La's shoe. He sat the empty bottle on the counter and searched for the shoe's mate.
Next to the sofa, he noticed for the first time fingers dangling inches from the tatami floor. Blue eyes scanned the room quickly. Her other shoe deposited near the front entrance. Quietly and with cautious steps, Hei walked around the sofa. Next to the dangling arm was an empty flask, a small ring of dry sake stained the mats where some leaked out. Still fully dressed, the sleeping contractor curled up in a fetal position, her free arm covering her face and resting on the armrest. Brown hair flared out, covering the arm that covered her face and the steady rise and fall of chest left him know she was still asleep.
Curled like that, almost child like, La appeared harmless to him for the first time since Amsterdam. Calm, frail, helpless even. He reasoned within himself, looking over her small frame. Sleeping meant La couldn't force him to damn near kill himself. He imagined that she would if she caught him standing over her as such. Still, laying there as she was, forced suppressed memories of another young woman to the forefront of his mind. Although they were nothing alike in features or disposition, the reason why he and La was in Tokyo made him think of Yin. The very reason he left this city was, in so many ways, the reason he came back.
We are like. I used to be you. The though ran across Hei's mind before he could stop. A frown settled on his features and Hei knelt to grab the empty bottle. Everything that had transpired from the time he and Yin fled to the last day he held her in his arms flashed in his mind's eye in an instant. He hesitated. What he had tried to preserve through selfish actions, he ended up losing. Had him and Yin not be so close, Izanami would not have existed. And just like him, La had no clue of the dangers she potential posed to herself and every other contractor if she found Mat. By the time she figured it out, it will be too late. It will no longer be them as a team, but La against Mat or whatever thing he would have evolved into. I'm not taking that chance again. Hei resolved in his mind. La aside, his own safety was at stake here if she ever found him.
Hei had been so caught up in his own thoughts, that the muffled voice of the woman across from him caught him of guard.
"Stop watching me," La's sleepy voice nearly whispered into her forearm. Hei didn't move and stared at her hidden face. Could she see him? Her arm was covering her eyes from his view. She couldn't have peeked from under it, Hei would have noticed that movement. La's chest was still rising and falling at a steady pace. It was hard to tell whether she was talking in her sleep or to him directly. "it's creeping me out," she finished and turned so her back was to him.
"Get up," Hei said doing so himself, "We have things to do today."
Continuing on his original destination to get food, the rustling sound of movement confirmed that La was getting up. She dragged her feet on the floor towards the kitchen, making a soft scratchy sound behind him. Hei opened the refrigerator to grab the items he needed. While still bending over, he side glanced at the woman who was now leaning against the entrance way. Hair in a tangled mess, she tried pushing it from her face even though it flopped back into place. Eventually she gave up trying, choosing instead to scratch her stomach. Hei stiffed a chuckle at this, knowing that she was oblivious of his gaze. She reached up under her shirt, still scratching and yawned causing her eyes to squint. The movement made her shirt lift, revealing parts of her stomach and naval as she relinquished the remaining ounces of sleep with a deep yawn. La moved her hand carelessly and crossed her over her chest, scanning the kitchen area before her gaze settled on him.
For a moment, Hei thought of asking about the night before. More specifically, he wanted to know why she stormed out of the house. When La hadn't move after he announced dinner, Hei acquitted it to her own personal defiance and not something serious. Throughout their journey, he'd noted that her actions were almost always a direct reaction from stubbornness mixing with elements of distrust. Other times, however, seemed just because of some reasoning she'd formulated. So when La come storming into the living, from what he assumed was a sake induced anger, he was curious.
La shifted her feet and he blinked, "What's for breakfast?" she asked him, breaking the stretched silence. Hei redirected his attention towards the contents of the refrigerator, grabbing items he need. He kicked the door closed as he cradle food in his arms and sat it on the island in the middle of the kitchen.
La did a barely audible 'keh' and pushed off the wall, "A buffet again. I'm going for a bath; maybe by then you'll be finished with your mini restaurant."
Hei didn't look up but proceeded to remove items from their protective covering "You take long enough," his comment matching her own sarcasm. He heard her snort without actually seeing as she exited the kitchen.
As it would turn out, Hei's friendly banter wasn't that far off. He'd finished breakfast before La returned and was in the process of sitting food on the table. While placing the last bowl where they would dine, a sudden buzzing sound made him pause immediately. Hei glanced about himself, searching first for anything he could use as a weapon. La? Was his first though, but she wouldn't be so ominous. The noise ceased for a few seconds, trained ears strained to find its source as it started again. Cautiously, Hei ventured towards the living area, crouched and on the defensive. Hei kept close to the wall as the buzzing sound grew louder. As he got closer, he realized the sound was coming from the sofa. Wedge between the two seat cushions was La's phone that vibrated noisy from its trapped space. Hei had half a mind to leave it be. Whoever was calling, it wasn't for him to know. But he pulled the vibrating thing from between the cushions anyway, the caller ID revealing it was Dominic.
Hei answered, "Dominic," his voice passive. There was a short pause before the other spoke.
"Well, isn't this a surprise. I had no idea you two were on such familiar terms, Hei." Whether he was being funny or contentious, Hei couldn't place it just yet.
"La is busy at the moment. If you're calling, I assumed it was important." Hei responded, trying to keep the conversation as neutral as possible. He had yet to shake the uneasiness Dominic made him feel. Even more so, La's behavior around him made Hei question her brother's overall intention. She was too humble, submissive and for such an emotional contractor, fearful maybe.
Dominic chuckled "You've answered her phone without her knowledge. How presumptuous of you BK201."
"I'll tell her you called," Hei said, now wanting nothing more than to get off the phone.
"What are your intentions with my sister, BK201?" his voice had taken on a different tone, darker than before. If Hei hadn't seen him in person, one might take it as Dominic being a concerned brother. But Hei knew better, or at least he assumed and the sudden switch in attitude further seethed his distrust. Hei narrowed his eyes.
"My intentions are my own," Hei responded calmly, "None of which would but La in danger."
"Hm, a personal burden that you bare? That's hardly a reason to entertain my sister's folly over a doll, and for so long too. La can be quite rash, rushing into things without thinking. Her responses are almost…human, so uncharacteristic for a contractor. Wouldn't you agree?"
"You sound a little envious," Hei dared. There was another pause before a brief grunt.
"Yes, well, when you are one such as me, having supernatural abilities would be a welcomed luxury. I wouldn't classify it as envy…"
"Jealousy?" Hei interjected his statement, his composure slipping for a moment.
"Observant aren't you, BK201 or should I call you the Black Reaper?" Dominic said the name with a twinge of disgust at his antagonizing. Hei gripped the phone tighter, wanting nothing more than to be face to face with him.
"When you're a contractor, you always have to be watchful of potential dangers. Especially from those you feel you can trust. Complacency is a luxury we can't afford" Hei mocked the man's statement.
Mao walked into the room at that moment. He went unnoticed by Hei. Though his eyes we void of emotion, his face was hard, staring intently at the wall in front of him and focusing on the conversation.
Dominic clicked his tongue "Learned from pass mistakes have we, good for you. So, it is guilt that compels you, then? Ah, but I didn't call to inquire of your reasoning for retrieve a doll that has no significance to you at all. That is, unless Mathieu is of some use to you? You are doll-less after all, for the life of me I can't imagine why. Such dubious behavior won't sit well with my little sister. La isn't one to overlook being used, even if it is to remedy your conscience." There was hint of sarcasm in voice though it remained serious.
Hei averted his gaze to Mao, who jumped on the sofa. He clenched his fist, choosing not to respond. Dominic chuckled again and sighed, "I'm right, yes? You're not the only observant one, Hei. At any rate, do tell La I called. And thank you for this little chat. It was very informative." With that he hung up.
Hei held the phone to his ear for a moment before dropping it on the sofa.
"Who was that? For second there, I thought you were going to murder the door." Mao joke and followed his comrade back to the dining area. Hei sat down, replaying the conversation in his mind. If La was oblivious to the potential effects of an evolved doll, Dominic certainly was not. He made that very clear. It wasn't simple mistrust or brotherly love that fueled the contention in his voice. No, not with the way La seemed to keep him at a distance. When Hei had asked him why he was disclosing NYCO info, Dominic responded it was because of his sister's trust. But Hei was aware of two things: La didn't trust him like Dominic insisted and her expression at that moment proved it. His intention was something apart from his sister's wants.
He gritted his teeth, and stared in the distance. The only question left was why. Is Dominic even aware of the danger he's putting La? Or better, does he care? The though made his fingers flex, an inkling to use his contract, though his threat was miles away.
"Earth to Hei." Mao said and jumped on the table, finally getting Hei's attention. "Your hand" Hei looked at Mao than his hand that had been so tightly clenched in a fist his knuckles were turning pale. When he opened his palm, there were four distinctive red marking from his nails digging into his skin.
"Who was on the phone?" Mao asked again. It took everything in Hei to not lost composure once again.
"Dominic," he said begrudgingly.
With a thud, La graceless sat her laptop in front of Hei before sitting across from him where he food had been.
"Look familiar?" She asked while grabbing her tea-cup. Hei, who had been in the process of finishing the remainder of his rice, lower his bowl to gaze at the screen.
He blinked then looked back at the woman who didn't withhold her smug expression, "The man from the CIA." he answered as Mao came around to view the picture.
La grabbed her chopsticks before commenting, "His name is Kurt Burstein. Apparently he's an evolutionary scientist for the CIA-PANDORA joint organization." she picked at her vegetables before finding one she deemed desirable to eat.
"A scientist?" Mao questioned getting a closer look, "I've never heard of Burstein."
La swallowed and pointed her chopsticks at the dog. "Exactly, he doesn't actually have a career yet, I think that's why he took Mat. I read that they are having a reception for him because of some 'new research' he has. Pretty damn convenient for him to have a doll with some experience outside of being a contractors spy boy."
"And you're going to the reception." Hei said. La's gazed deviated for a moment. The fleeting look in her eye didn't go unnoticed to him, although he couldn't quite place what it was.
"Was tha…" Mao spoke up but was immediately cut off by the woman sitting across from them.
"Not exactly," she glared at the dog before going back to her food "I did find out he's been spending some time in a place called Kabukicho."
"In the Shinjuku district?" both male and dog said at the same time.
La finished off the remainder of food before speaking again, "You know it?"
"How did you find this out?" Hei asked, avoiding her previous question and sliding the laptop in her general direction.
"Does it matter?" La countered, and removed her laptop from the table, "The point is, if you know where and what is, tell me."
Hei and Mao exchanged a glance before the former stood up from the table, taking his bowl with him into the kitchen. La stood up too, not willing to get denied a lead twice. It was bad enough Dominic had refused to help but now Hei. True, they weren't partners or even friends. But, as much as it frustrated her to admit to herself, he was the only help she had at the moment. Of course, he would never find that out.
"Hei!" she called after him, with fully intention to threaten him into giving her information if he refused.
"Kabukicho is a red light district." Mao cut in. La glanced back at him, then back towards the kitchen, but the dog continued. "It has a reputation of not being to friendly to women, especially foreigners, and some other things. There's number of different reasons he could be there, not good reasons either."
"So stay here if you're so worried Mao," La answered, a bit of mischievousness in her tone. Mao shook his head and grunted, a small smirk playing at the corner of his mouth just as Hei returned bowl free.
"I've come this far," the dog said walking up to his partner who was looking at La.
She smiled victoriously, something that neither of them had seen her do in the past. "That settles it then."
AHHHH, there is so much dialogue here! I hope this chapter isn't to disappointing! I've had to re-watch some DTB episodes to make sure Hei responds in my story like he would in the anime. It feels a bit OOC to me, but that could be my own criticism of myself. In any case, more chapters to come! Trust me, the next one will be more action field and dramatic! Tootalu!
-CeCe ^_^