The place the hoped to visit didn't have a fancy card, or a picture photo. It was a simple address on a note card. When everyone arrived to the small garage like building, they were having some second thoughts. It gave them the impression that they were in the wrong neighborhood. There paint was clearly chipping away, the windows were boarded to prevent anyone from looking in, along with some spray painting on the sides. Once they confirmed that it was the right address, Kanako crumbled the small paper in her hand and motioned for the others to follow her.
Motoko and Kitsune lifted the large garage door. Once it slid all the way to the top, they could hear a buzz saw cutting through a metal. Everyone else entered in wonder as they looked at all the equipment around them. There were machines used for who knows what. Weird gadgets littered the tables with what looked like it could have been out of science fiction movie. Naru and Kanako stayed together as the came closer to the buzzing sounds. From under a car, a pair of legs were visible along with sparks from the rotating saw.
"Excuse me", Naru asked obviously not being heard.
She shouted a bit louder this time, but there was still no reply as the hidden person continued to work. Seeing that shouting was getting them nowhere, Kanako gave the person two light taps with her foot. The person felt the foot against his leg. The saw stopped it's buzzing as the person rolled out from under the car. He removed his welding mask while remaining on the creeper.
"Can I help you", he asked.
"Yes, we just have a few questions to ask", Naru stated.
With that, the man took to his feet and became defensive.
"Now listen here, I told your boss that weapon contained too many volts to handle!"
"What do you blabber about? That's not why we're here", Motoko spoke out.
The young man looked at all the other people approach him. He obviously had them confused with someone else, and now tried to piece together what they wanted.
"Oh, then tell Darius I'll have his money by next Friday."
"We're not here to collect anything Mr...", Mutsumi politely asked while trying to get his name.
"It's Crenjer...so you're not here for money or a complaint?"
"No, we're here to ask a few things", Kanako formally said.
"I see", Crenjer said as he ran a gloved hand through his blonde spiky hair. "I'll show you what I have then."
The boy removed a large crate, revealing a secret handle within the floor. Gripping the metal bar, Crenjer opened a secret stash and pulled out a different sorted machines. Some were clearly weapons, others were strange devices, then there were those that couldn't be identified at all.
"Okay what are you looking for here", he asked. "I have Ion Accelerators, Thermal Plasma Blasters, Nitrogen Mines..."
"No you're missing the point", Naru said obviously frustrated now. "Look, all we need is a little information about Keitaro Urashima!"
"Keitaro", Crenjer asked.
Hearing this, Crenjer began rapidly putting the machines back in his underground vault.
"Sorry about that, I can't give any information about my clients", he stated while putting the crate back.
"So you do know him", Mutsumi asked.
"Maybe, maybe not."
"You just said he was a client of yours" Sarah back talked.
"Do you got any proof", Crenjer asked trying to cover his tracks.
Sarah got a little huffy by him talking back to her. She couldn't help it, it was just in her nature to argue with people like Crenjer. Still, there was always another way to deal with someone like him.
"Naru, Motoko, make him talk", Sarah told her older friends.
The two girls from Hinata Sou didn't need another order to get what they wanted. Naru cracked her knuckles as Motoko unsheathed her sword. Before they could get any closer however, Kitsune grabbed the two of them by the back of their clothes.
"Now hold on there justa minute."
Kitsune pulled Motoko and Naru into a huddle as everyone else watched over Crenjer, so he didn't try to make a run for it.
"Kitsune what are you doing", Motoko questioned.
"Listen here", I've been studin' this guy", the short-haired girl pointed out. "He's not gonna speak if we beat 'em or seduce 'em."
"Who said anything about seducing him", Naru sarcastically inputted.
"No, no", Kitsune said ignoring Naru's remark. "We're gonna have to try a whole different approach. Don't worry fellas, I got this."
Naru sighed to herself before agreeing to her friend's terms.
"Alright, alright give it a shot. It would be the first time you actually put some work into something."
Everyone questioned Kitsune as wnet up to the desk near Crenjer.
There were the thoughts of "What is she going to do? Is she going to play a mind game with him? Is she going to sweet talk him? Is she going to threaten him?" The got their answer when Kitsune slammed a large amount of money on the desk...her method was bribery.
"So listen here sugar, we really need a whole lota information regardin' our friend Keitaro. Can ya help us out hun" the fox girl demanded, and kind of asked.
"BRIBERY!? THAT WAS YOUR BIG PLAN" Naru shouted to her friend.
Crenjer shook his friend with his arms crossed.
"You know bribery is a crime that I don't allow here."
With a second glance to the money, he took it into his hands, and quickly counted with small, expensive papers.
"However, Crenjer stated, "This would be no different from buying an expensive newspaper, it's just information. Besides, you need to know things I know, and I need to pay bills with money you have.
The blonde boy put the cash into a juror before locking it with a key.
"Now then, what can I help you with?"
Naru thought in her head, "I can't believe that actually worked. I'll have to ask Kitsune how she knew it would, and where she got that money from."
"Keitaro Urashima", Shinobu said. "Is there anything you can tell us about him?"
"The Urashima guy, yeah I know him. He's a customer here. I sell him some of my weapon merchandise, information on the streets, and I help him fix up that bike of his every now and then. I would tell him to get a brand new one, but that piece of junk helps me pay some of my debts."
"You said you sell him weapon merchandise, what for" Kanako asked.
"It's for his mercenary or soldier business. The better weapons beat the better people."
"We know he works under Avianna, but what does he exactly do for her", Kanako continued to question.
"It all has to do with the ERT", Crenjer told them. "Her let me explain, the government wanted an emergency team put together in case something beyond their control was to happen. The government has their own system of spies, soldiers, military, all that. The ERT however, isn't connected to the government. Instead, it's a separate branch from them, completely controlled by the smaller branch of the military. In this case, Avianna is in charge of the ERT."
"But why would they want Keitaro? Is it because he can take a punch from Naru very good", Su questioned.
"It's not just because he can take a hit pretty good", Crenjer kept talking. "It's because of the things he can do."
"Like what", the younger Shinobu asked.
"If you have ever seen this guy in action, you would know. Trust me, he's like Mission Impossible, The Men in Black, an Animal Speaker, A Kung-Fu Master, and a Navy Seal all in one!"
"He can be all of that, how is that even possible", Naru said in shock.
"I don't know, he's just really good. He's something beyond even human.
"What eva make ya say that", said Kitsune.
Crenjer took a look around to make sure no one else was there before continuing.
"There was this one mission in Central America, there was a...bad guy, we'll call him bad guy. Well, Mr. Bad Guy was up to no good involving explosives and blowing up certain military training centers. No one could reach him, the CIA, caught in moments on the base, military drones, shot down in by anti-aircraft guns, their soldiers were either captured and killed, or captured and tortured. Mr. Bad Guy would even send back some soldier pieces to threaten the military."
This story was very disturbing to the girls. It seemed like it only got worse and worse by the second. Nonetheless, they stayed silent to hear what Crenjer had to say about their friend Keitaro Urashima.
"Ponit is, no one could even touch Mr. Bad Guy. So, they call Keitaro. The military drop him off fifteen miles away at sun down. In the morning, Keitaro calls his buddies in the ERT to pick him up. When they get to the base, it's completely annihilated. The building was detonated by explosives, all of Mr. Bad Guy's buddies were beaten to a pulp. No one, died, but they had to be in a hospital for a very long tome. Keitaro got shot three times, had a broken elbow, and was bleeding all over, but he had Mr. Bad Guy in cuffs before breakfast the next morning."
"Not only does he work hard, he works strong. Since that mission, they've been calling him "The Demon Cheetah". I don't know how he does it, or where he gets that raw power from; but he is capable of leveling this city all by himself if he tried."
The rest of them tried to absorb exactly what Crenjer was telling them. They got their questions answered, but they didn't like the answers they got. What kind of person was Keitaro hiding within himself. Naru had to take a seat, out of even Kanako and Shinobu, the Narusegawa girl took the news the hardest.
"Is, is what you're saying true", Shinobu asked hesitantly.
"Do I look like I would lie after I've been paid", Crenjer asked. "I'm a business man, and I have to be sure what I'm selling is good quality, otherwise it will come back to bite me in the ass."
"We have to get back to Hinata Sou", Naru said wanting to desperately return home. "Thank you for telling us all that you could. Is there anything else you can tell us. Maybe anything regarding this."
Naru reached into her purse and pulled out the black card that read Demon Cheetah.
"Never seen it before" Crenjer said plainly.
The brunette girl sighed before handing Crenjer a twenty-dollar bill.
"Okay, you hold the card to the right side of the laptop where you insert flash drives. Press the white paw print face up, and watch the magic happen. Here, I'll throw this in for you guys. You'll need it."
Crenjer opened another juror and pulled out a laptop. It was a bit dirty and scratched, but if Crenjer said they need it, then they needed it.
"Thank you Mr. Crenjer", Su gleefully said.
"No problem", he said. "Remember, you never say saw me, you don't know me, and you found out all this information yourself."
He took a last look around before whispering to them.
"If you guys need any tech or weapons, I'm your go to guy."
"Okay" Su said before they all left the garage.
By the time everyone arrived back at Hinata Sou, it was after dark. Haruka didn't bother asking where they were, and Seta was nowhere to be seen. For now, the party of girls gathered in the attic, or better known as "The Hideout". Even Tama-chan and Kuro watched the laptop screen as it blared to life. They had a quick argument about who was going to insert the card. It's not that they were afraid of what would happen. On the other hand, hearing about Keitaro has been through, anything was possible. Before it got out of hand, Tama-chan was handed the card. The little turtle took the card, and did as it was instructed. Within a few seconds, the card lit up with a small light, and a low whine. The card began to shift and transform before plugging into the laptop itself. The laptop suddenly shut down, and the screen went black.
"That's all", Kitsune asked disappointed.
Before anyone else could respond, the mobile computer flickered before bringing up the letters (ERT).
"Welcome Chettah Demon" the laptop spoke in a female like tone.
Now, things were about to get interesting.
So I got another chapter in. They really should have gone to see Crenjer first. Hope you all stay and review.