Thank you guys so much for the reviews! I got 12 total for the last chapter and it made me super happy! This is the last chapter I had pre-typed and was just waiting for a chance to skim it for important errors before posting. So updates will probably slow down a bit. I'm entering a busy part of my life so really, if you want this to be updated, reviewing is your best bet in getting me off my lazy ass and writing! Review guys!
Alfred more or less skipped back into the apartment building later that night. He was thrilled! Everything had gone according to plan! Not only did he meet Prussia, the most secretive member of the Bad Touch Trio, but he also got to meet Spain! It was a miracle at the least about how easy this whole process had been!
"Hey! Kiku! You here?" Alfred called out as he flung open the door to the apartment.
"Alfred-san, it's only six in the morning! There's no need to yell like this." Kiku said as he sat up slowly. Alfred immediately felt bad. It was obvious that Kiku had only gotten back a little bit before Alfred and that he was trying to get some rest. Still! Alfred couldn't help himself.
"I did it Kiku! I really did it! I got to meet two of the three members of the Bad Touch Trio! England introduced me tonight! They said that they actually wanted to get out of this life and just like all the others, they saw that I had been helping their friend and thought that they could get in on this deal too! It's perfect Kiku! All I have to do is get a little bit more info on the last member and then I'll call in our boys to round them up!" Alfred said with a laugh. Kiku smiled at him slightly as he rubbed more sleep out of his eyes.
"This is wonderful Alfred-san. I am fortunate that I got to work along side you and see this plan come together. How much longer will it be you think, that you will still be working on this case?" Kiku asked.
"Not much longer now. Probably a week at the longest. It was a bit weird Kiku. They seemed pretty desperate to get out of this life. Like there really is something that they are running from. Oh! Almost forgot! I can get you into another place that Russia runs now! It's where Prussia works. He talked to the guard there so now anyone who is with me can get in as well." Alfred told his friend.
"Arigatou Alfred-san. This will help me a lot. I was beginning to think I might have hit a slump in my own case. This will be extremely useful." Kiku said as he got up and grabbed his own case file. Alfred sat on the couch and looked over Kiku's shoulder as he looked through the case.
"This whole gang is actually a bit easier than I thought it would be in complexity. There is Ivan Braginski, or Russia, the leader of the group. And then his family and his three main henchmen." Kiku told him. Alfred knew all of this all ready. Arthur had told him a surprisingly large amount of info about Russia's gang. It was impressive that someone like Arthur even knew as much information as he did.
"Right. The family. How come this guy involves his sisters in this work anyway?" Alfred asked as he looked down at the picture they had of Russia. It was just as Arthur had described. Blond hair that was very light, odd violet colored eyes that scared Alfred a bit since they reminded him of his brother's, and an odd smile. Even in the picture the man was smiling like this wasn't a mug shot.
"His sisters? Well, I had heard that they had all been together on their own for a while. Once Russia got some power, his sisters wanted to help as well and got into this life. It's sad really. I understand family working together in their job. But in such a dangerous life I personally would have thought that Russia would try and keep them out of it. I mean I know if it was my family in that situation, Yao-niisan would do anything to keep me and my siblings out of this life." Kiku said as he pushed through the file and looked at Russia's two sisters. Arthur had described the sisters vaguely enough that Alfred could tell which one was which by the pictures. The older sister, Ukraine, the one who had been kind to Arthur, was noticeable by her... assets. While the other sister, Belarus was obviously younger and had long blond hair.
Alfred stared at the pictures a bit more before getting up to grab his own case file. He wrote in some new information about the members he had met. It was odd to him now. Before these two men had simply been faces in a file. Now they were real. They had voices and personalities to the faces.
"Alfred-san? Once you're done with the case, what will you do about their friend? I know you've been thinking of trying to find some way of helping him. But you know the rules we go by. So what will you do?" Kiku asked. It was the first time that night that Alfred had really thought about it. What would happen to Arthur once he was done? He didn't want to leave him. Arthur had survived this long in this world thanks to the members of the Bad Touch Trio and with a little help from Russia's older sister. Without them, did Arthur really stand a chance on his own? Sure, the Brit put on a tough appearance, but Alfred knew that under it Arthur was almost always afraid of that world. What would happen to him on his own? The rule was that all people who he met while working undercover had to stay away from his real life. Breaking that could not only fire him, but also endanger him and his brother.
"I don't know Kiku. I really just don't know. Something is different about this case. Something is just a little odd. I can't fully explain why but there is something." Alfred said.
"Well, it's something to do with that prostitute right? Igirisu-san?" Kiku asked.
"What?" Alfred asked. Looking completely confused at the term Kiku used.
"Sorry. That is the Japanese way of saying England-san." Kiku explained.
"Well... Anyway... I do think you're right. You know Kiku, he really isn't a prostitute. In fact by talking with him, I really bet his still a virgin. He doesn't sleep with people. He only performs for them. Also, he really doesn't deserve this life Kiku. He just got into it thanks to one bad night and one really horrible mistake. I really do want to help him out of this." Alfred said as he looked down at the picture of Arthur in his case file.
"What do you think Kiku? What should I do about this?" Alfred asked. Kiku stared back at him for a few seconds before he got up and grabbed his cell phone.
"What are you doing? Who would be up this early?" Alfred asked.
"My brother. Don't worry, not Yao-niisan, but Yong Soo. He's the one your in contact with for this case right?" Kiku said.
"Why are you calling him? I thought you two didn't get along."
"We get along as well as most brothers do. But this isn't about my relationship with my brother. This is about how you're getting too attached to the case. Alfred-san, this isn't good for you. I'm sure when I talk to both Yong Soo and Yao-niisan that they'll agree with me that you should just give them your information that you've gotten and then should be taken off the case." Kiku said. After processing what Kiku said for a few seconds, Alfred immediately lunged at Kiku and grabbed the cell.
"No! You can't get them to take me off the case! Kiku I'm close! Really close to getting all the information we need on all the members of the Bad Touch Trio! You can't take me off when I'm this close!" Alfred said as he held the cell phone up higher so the shorter Japanese man couldn't grab it.
"Alfred-san please! This isn't just about you! It's about getting the job done! I really believe that you should step away and just let someone else finish this." Kiku said as he tried to jump up to reach for the phone.
"No way after all the work I've done! Besides think about it! If I just abandon them it'll look extremely suspicious. They won't be open to trusting another person like this again! Like it or not I'm the best shot to getting the all together and arresting them. Look I promise, I'll only meet with them when I absolutely have to. I'll get France, wrap this up fast, and then call in the cops to arrest them and put them away. Got it? Now promise me you won't call them!" Alfred begged. Kiku gave him a look but sighed.
"Just please wrap up this case as fast as you can Alfred-san." Kiku begged as he held out his hand to Alfred. Alfred shook Kiku's hand and handed him back the cell phone.
"I-I'm going to bed…" Alfred said quietly as he went into the other room and fell onto one of the beds. He was annoyed. Here he had come back from a great night and had gotten so far in his assignment, and Kiku saying things had to completely ruin it. Oh well. It's not like it really mattered. He just had to finish up and he could go back to his brother. It had been a few days since he had thought of his brother. Alfred missed him terribly. He wanted to go home just so he could talk to his brother about this. Mattie always listened to him when he needed someone to talk to. Right now that's all he needed.
Alfred sighed. He knew what he was about to do wasn't allowed. It was even technically dangerous. But he couldn't help it! It was seven now and Matthew had always gotten up with the sun. He dialed that familiar number and listened to the ringing before a quiet voice picked.
"H-Hello?" Matthew's familiar soft voice answered.
"Hey bro. How are you?" Alfred replied in a soft voice so Kiku wouldn't hear him.
"A-Alfred? What are you doing? I thought you weren't allowed to call me." His brother's voice said in surprise.
"I can't do this often on this case. But I'm in a safe enough place that I can at least check in on you right now." Alfred lied to him.
"I miss you. When do you think you'll be done? When can you come back home?" Matthew asked.
"I don't know. I think I should be done soon though. I miss you too." Alfred said with a smile.
"You're not just calling because you want to check on me. Something is up isn't it?" Matthew said back. Alfred chuckled slightly.
"You always could tell when I had something on my mind. Things are different here Mattie. Different than all the other cases I've worked on. I've gotten attached all ready to some of the people I've met here. I don't know Matt, I almost wish I could stay and help them more." Alfred confessed to his brother.
"I know I'm not allowed to do anything once my boss says the case is done. But still! I feel bad leaving them like this." Alfred went on.
"Well, who is it that you want to help? I-It's not the people you were sent there to arrest, is it?" Matthew asked.
"No. It's the person who introduced me to them though. He's really a good guy though. He's in this life because someone forced him to do this. And that person who forced this life on him is another guy we're working on arresting." Alfred told his brother.
"Well, if he technically didn't do anything worth arresting him for, couldn't you just talk to your boss and work something out? Say that you need to protect him so he can then testify in court about this other guy? Wouldn't that get him out of that situation?" Matthew asked. The pieces that had been floating around in Alfred's mind had finally been put together thanks to his brother.
"Mattie that's perfect! I'll tell Yao we need him to convict another guy and then he won't be stuck in this life anymore. T-They'll put him into witness protection or something like it. Thanks bro." Alfred said as he tried not to bounce up and down in happiness. He heard his brother laughing a bit on the other end of the line.
"I'm glad I could help. Listen, I need to go and get ready for work so I have to go. If you can, call me again and if not, come home soon. Ok?" Matthew said.
"Ok Mattie. I'll see you soon. I promise." Alfred said as he hung up the phone. As his happiness overwhelmed him Alfred finally remembered he didn't sleep at all last night. He curled into a ball and soon fell fast asleep. Still smiling about how perfect everything was turning out.