The rumours were flying thick by the following morning. Each newspaper, every channel was engaged in making its own conjectures about the events of last night.

Inuyasha had been seen dining with a strange woman at a restaurant. They were rumoured to be past lovers. The following night, he had been fatally injured right outside his house. Only his wife was with him during the attack. Why wasn't he accompanied by his guards? Kagome Higurashi had claimed seeing a bullet being fired from a car. The police claim the allegation to be 'untenable'. Whom was she trying to protect?

Then came a fresh bunch of stories.

Lord Taishou had been arrested for misbehaving with a police detective. The police are investigating him for a possible role in the events of last night. A woman called Kagura was claiming that he had raped her brutally several years back and then severed all connections with her in order to date Kagome Higurashi. What secrets were hiding behind the Taishou mansion?

Lady Taishou sighed. She had never felt more mortified, more humiliated in her life. The daughter of a noble family, the current members of which were mostly settled abroad, she dreaded nothing more than public disgrace. A hand clasped her shoulder.

"How could this happen in your presence, Myouga?" she asked wearily.

"I'm sorry M'Lady," he murmured, "I couldn't anticipate Ryuukossei to be this desperate so soon."

"Hold the Party together, will you?"

"I will try, M'Lady, but with Inuyasha-sama so critical and Lord Taishou under arrest things have become so difficult."

Lady Taishou closed her eyes, "Do you remember the olden days Myouga? When we were just girl and boy? Playing in father's garden all day without a care in the world?"

Myouga's eyes clouded over with fond remembrance: "I remember, M'Lady."

Lady Taishou looked up at the man behind her, her childhood friend, her pillar of support through all the long years: "Were you jealous when I married him, Myouga?"

"For a while. I couldn't bear coming into this house, so I joined hands with Ryuukossei. But the day he murdered Lord Taishou and Izayoi-sama, I withdrew my allegiance from him. I still kept him in power, so that he would remain in the view of the public. I surrounded him with my own people, so his hands would be tied – so he would leave you and the boys alone. But he was getting restless, greedy for more power."

"And you pushed my sons into his line of vision, to curb his clout."

"It had to happen sometime. Lord Taishou's blood runs strong in them."

Lady Taishou inclined her head: "Yes, I think it does."

"Come home, Kagome-sama," Rin was insisting. The girl was worried, Kagome could see that. Her face was pale and there were dark circles around her eyes.

"If you want you can stay with us for a while," Mama offered.

But Kagome shook her head: "I'm fine here, don't worry."

"Lady Taishou insisted that you get some rest. I can stay here for the day."

Kagome took the girl's hands in her: "I'll be fine, Rin, don't worry. Please go home and take rest. We can't have you falling ill at this juncture."

Rin nodded unsurely: "Okay, if you are sure."

Kagome smiled wanly: "I'm sure. And thanks for bringing the laptop."

As Rin rose to go Kagome looked at her mother: "You should also go, Mama. You've been here since last night."

"But leaving you here all alone-"

"I'll be fine," Kagome repeated.

The two women reluctantly made their way out of the hospital. Kagome was thankful for her solitude. Right now, she didn't need to rest or eat. She needed to think. The events of the last twenty-four hours had pushed her survival gear to overdrive.

It took her the greater part of the morning, but finally she outlined her course of action. Nodding grimly, she called her grandfather. A short conversation later, she took out her computer and started typing a letter.

It was nearly evening when she arrived at the police station where Sesshoumaru had been placed under custody. Myouga could not put an appeal for a bail as it was a public holiday. They'd chosen a good time for the attack, Kagome thought without humour.

Sesshoumaru was surprised to see her, but she remained calm, almost sedate as she put the letter trough the bars into his hands.

"I need you to sign this."

Sesshoumaru took a look at the contents.

"Are you out of your mind?" he asked incredulously, "Kagome, we'll be fine, don't panic."

"Do you trust me, Sesshoumaru?" again, she was placid, serene.

Sesshoumaru looked at the girl like she was crazy. But something about her demeanour told him it was better if he just listened to her for once. Slowly, he nodded. He signed the letter and gave it back to her.

"I hope you know what you are doing."

"I do."

Again Kagome was on her way.

Ryuukossei was sitting in his office watching the traffic rush by. There was a strange contentment in his heart, the satisfaction of a job well done. It would not be long until the younger Taishou would breathe his last. His condition was reported to be critical. Some said he was on ventilation. The older was embroiled in controversy – with a little more effort he would be finished in the eyes of the public. The family was already discarded, their Party all but disbanded; soon they would be obliterated from the public memory.

Of course he wouldn't make the same mistake as he did last time. Once taken out of the public eye, this time there would be a series of freak accidents – domestic mishaps, or road accidents perhaps, claiming the lives of the surviving Taishous one by one. Oh yes, he would cook their goose alright.

His secretary came in with a card. Ryuukossei frowned. What could Kagome Taishou possibly have to do with him?

"Send her in."

He was startled to see the woman who entered his chamber. Her face was pale and haggard, her hair hung limp around her waist, she was clad in black – had she officially entered into mourning?

"Ah my dear, come in, come in," he rose with false concern, "you could have called me over, why did you take the trouble to come down?"

Kagome looked into his eyes: "I needed to talk."

"Yes, yes, we will talk. Do sit down. Should I order for tea or coffee?"

"Nothing at the moment, thank you."

"Alright," he squatted on the couch while Kagome took the one across it. "What brings you here?"

"This," Kagome handed the letter to him.

Ryuukossei scanned through the letter, and then knitted his eyebrows.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"My husband is fighting for his life. Even if he survives, his health will not allow him to campaign for years to come. Without a face, the Party is likely to fall apart. In view of this, Lord Taishou has promised that he will withdraw from the elections, and never aspire to any public office for as long as he shall live" she indicated towards the letter.

"Lord Taishou is already finished, so this letter is superfluous."

"Oh you would be surprised by what he is capable of. Besides, we have not yet made public the evidence that Mukotsu had left at our office regarding the aborigine killings. There is much more than that confession, I assure you."

"That is not possible."

"Love makes us do many impossible things, Ryuukossei-sama. You might have planted him as a spy among us, but he had his own partner to take care of. For Jakotsu's sake, he was ready to betray you. Of course, we had also been quite generous with our offer."

Ryuukossei frowned: "Proceed."

"Once we have Kouga lending us his support-"

"Kouga? Who will believe that murderer now?"

"His own people will. Please do not forget, Ryuukossei-sama, we are a very desperate family. That kind of desperation gives rise to very desperate measures. Besides, we still have my grandfather's money and support."

"Very interesting. But what has it got to do with me?"

"The letter in your hand comes for a price. You are to ensure that all allegations against our family are withdrawn within the next twenty-four hours."

"That is not in my-"

"I think it is. This is my offer, Ryuukossei-sama. Make sure my brother-in-law comes home by tomorrow and our family honour is restored. In return, we will disappear from the eyes of the public – you shall buy our silence and your peace of mind."

Ryuukossei joined the tips of his hand. What the girl had said was absurd – a bogus threat and yet, he could not be sure. Mukotsu had belonged to Inu no Taishou's Party – betrayed him years ago to join Ryuukossei, even had a hand in plotting his murder. Betrayal was in his blood. What if he had left evidence with the Taishous? There was no way of knowing now. Joining hands with Kouga? Even that could come to nothing and yet – he did not want more trouble right when things were going so perfectly for him. If the Taishous bowed out themselves, he could always kill them at his leisure.

Granddaughter of a Higurashi, Kagome knew when to rise from the negotiation table.

"I shall let you keep the letter in good faith. As you can see, it has no legal value at all. It's just a pact between our families, and one we have every intention to honour."

With that she walked out of Ryuukossei's office, leaving him to ponder her words.

It was late in the evening when somebody arrived with an emergency bail for Kouga. He found a car waiting for him outside the police station. The door was held open for him. He could not help smiling when he laid his eyes on the person inside.