All for Love
Disclaimer: All characters of Rurouni Kenshin belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki and all affiliates.
Chapter 14
Beyond crazy. This man is completely insane. That is what Sanosuke thought as he cast a worried look towards Megumi. He was glad that she slept so soundly right now for he hated to see the look in her eyes if she found out that they had been discovered. Sano wanted to turn back the clock. He wanted to rectify his mistake and approach Megumi another way. Had he a thought in his mind he would have stuck to his identity of Zanza and treated her as a prisoner. It would have been unsettling for her, but it would have kept him on the good graces of Kyuuto Irushi for a while longer. Now the man he had tried so hard to entrust had unleashed his dark side, and Sano knew that he was going to be forced to deal with the dangerous enemy sooner than he expected. Sano watched him closely and wondered what he had in mind. He decided it was best to move away from Megumi for a few moments. He wanted her to sleep with no disturbances, and he wanted to use this last chance to see how much Irushi knew about him.
Irushi's narrow gaze followed Sano and then fixed steadily on him as the latter finally stopped when he stood right before him. Irushi craned his neck to look up at the towering Sanosuke, his dark eyes peering out from underneath his cowboy hat. Sano knew that his height wouldn't intimidate this enemy, but that wasn't the reason he chose to move in so close. He wanted to let Irushi know that he wasn't afraid- and that he had nothing to hide. Someone with secrets would use distance to avoid being discovered. Sano had lots of things to hide from this man, but that was part of his job. He fixed the smaller man with an intense gaze that demanded answers. If Megumi's life was on the line, he wanted to know everything.
"Let me get this straight. You want me to personally end the Meiji Era? As tempting as that sounds, I don't think you have much to entice me with." The words of the one formally called Zanza flowed with the brazen tone of one who asked to be shot in the face. The gun in Irushi's holster was unbuckled and hung at a tempting distance next to his right hand. Sano imagined what it would be like to have that gun pointed directly at him.
Irushi did reach for the gun, and he pulled it out slowly so that the sound of cold metal brushing against leather reminded Sano of a sword cutting across flesh. Sano's first thought was of Megumi.
"Don't worry about your woman," Irushi said taking note of the Sanosuke's reaction. "She won't get hurt if you play this game right."
Sano looked at him bemused, but Irushi said nothing else. He opened the bullet chamber revealing empty compartments. Sano nonetheless moved a few steps toward Megumi. She still slept soundly which he was grateful for. He hated to watch this man while he did nothing, but the annoying voice of reason kept nagging him to wait and see where the psycho was heading with this. His hand stayed near his katana and his right fist, which he had been itching to use since he met this man, was prepared to destroy the nearest wall and spray the cell full of dust. He watched Irushi closely, as he fished inside his pockets and pulled out a single bullet, which he inserted into one of the slots. Then he spun the chamber quickly and with a flick of his wrist, snapped it back into place. Sano's heart began to beat rapidly again. He had heard of this game.
"You like to gamble, right Sanosuke?" Irushi asked, pointing the gun at Megumi. Sano was close to her but not close enough. He turned away planning to fling himself toward her but the crack of an empty chamber stopped him dead. Irushi had sensed the intention all over him.
"If you try that again, the next one may not be empty," he warned his index finger pressed tightly against the trigger.
Kuso! I can't do a goddamned thing or he'll shoot her. Shit, how did my Megumi ever get involved in this? This has more to do with revenge against the government, more than a grudge from the past. Why the hell did they involve her to begin with?
Sano had no choice but to stay where he was. He hated that weapon. Who would be so cowardly as to hide behind a gun? It was powerful, but as dishonorable as attacking someone from behind. Irushi eyed Sanosuke all the while pointing the gun steadily at Megumi.
"I have a proposition for you, Sagara. The life of that woman depends on what you tell me so it would be wise to listen to me very carefully before you make your decision." The barrel looked to be painfully close to Megumi.
"I told you that I planned to infiltrate the police department and make a string murders point to them. Seeing you with this woman has made me realize where I could use you. You are going to be my crooked policeman."
Sano hated where this was going. Did he already know?
"A gangster who hates the Meiji government, joining the police department? I think your plan needs some revisions," Sano said, knowing he was treading in a dangerous area. Irushi gave him a dark grin.
"You think so?"
Sano felt a line of sweat form on his forehead. Without the bandana the droplets trickled down the side of his face and fell from the edge of his jaw. He knew now that he was in serious trouble.
"It took me a while to figure it out but I think that I finally know what's going on. You have lied to me this entire time, Sagara-san which I can't blame you for since it is part of your job." Irushi grinned knowingly and raised the pistol so that the barrel pointed to the ceiling. He squeezed the trigger and revealed another empty chamber. He pointed the gun at Megumi once again. "Damn, I wasted an empty chamber. That's too bad, ne? If you keep fucking with me the next one may not be empty." In less than a second his grin turned into a scowl.
"Earlier today I learned that one of my soldiers was an undercover policeman. This government has a lot of nerve to spy on Mr. Austin. They have no idea that he is doing everything for the sake of the country. What right do the police have to get in his way? What right do they have to sneak in here and pretend to be on his side? None of them understand. They work for a corrupt government. Ishin killers from the past roam free. Others are condemned and made to live in poverty or in disgrace for opposing the growth of the Meiji Era. Do you have any idea how sick I am of hearing how peaceful everything is? How wonderful it is that the common folks can now get on with their lives? I don't give a goddamned about the fucking common folks! I didn't learn to fight for them! They turned their backs on me when they found out my family supported the Tokugawa. We were banished from our village and ambushed by the first pack of common folk bandits. They didn't care about helping us find a peaceful life. They just took what they wanted and left us destroyed. As much as I loved this country when I was a child, I hate it more now. To see these policemen protect such a worthless bunch just pisses me off. The Battousai is outside you say? I'll bet that cop Saitoh Hajime is out there as well. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed killing his undercover agent. He made me believe that he was on our side and that doesn't go well with me at all. He got what he deserved, and in time so will you."
Irushi paused a moment to let his words sink in. Sanosuke's expression was grim as he stared daggers at Kyuuto Irushi. On the outside he seemed the perfect example of calm contemplation. However on the inside his heart was beating painfully against his ribcage. Sano knew this was the end. He had known that this assignment posed the risk of being discovered but he never thought it would have happened like this. He felt like an idiot. He had disobeyed his boss he had disregarded his orders and he completed the entire operation by getting caught by the enemy. He deserved a death sentence for such stupidity. Not only had he harmed his boss but he had also succeeded in putting the woman he loved in extreme danger. He would never forgive himself for that. If he had to die here by Irushi's hand he would face it deservingly, but what he had to do right now was protect Megumi and the first step to her safety was the gun.
"Let me get this straight, again. You hate the Meiji government and you want to put an end to it, so you start your assault by targeting a defenseless woman." Sano's eyes narrowed into slits. "I'd say you were full of shit."
That statement granted him the desired effect. Irushi moved the pistol and pointed it at Sanosuke's forehead. Oddly enough this made the ex-gangster smile. "Sorry. Did I hit on something that was true?"
The cold steel was now pressed against Sanosuke's sweaty flesh, sliding unbearably slow until the barrel touched against his left temple. Kyuuto Irushi was done with politeness.
"Your Meiji government is the one that is full of shit- and so are you." He squeezed the trigger.
The shock made the thoughts rush out of Sanosuke's head. The blood drained from his face and his heart slowed down to barely a beat against his chest. It took him a few moments to realize that he had not been shot. The click was of another empty chamber and that left him to realize he was running out of chances.
"Your jacket is gone. It must have been soaked with blood, hmmm? I didn't get to see the outcome of my attack on that policeman, but from what I see on you he must have been in bad shape." Irushi waved his finger in the direction of Sano's gi pants and it finally occurred to him how he found him out. Blood from the officer had dripped onto the waistline of his pants. It was an unnoticeable spot that would have gone undetected had this warrior not been so gifted in the art of bullshit detection. Sanosuke couldn't keep up the deception any longer. He had officially blown his cover.
The gun pressed harder against his skin as Irushi drew in closer getting into Sano's face. "So, what did you tell your boss? Do he and the Battousai know it all? Well, they're going to be quite surprised when they find out the role you're going to play in everything. I really hate cops, Sanosuke and I heard that you weren't too crazy about them either. You had quite a run-in with that policeman, Saitoh Hajime. He hurt your shoulder pretty badly and you've been looking for a chance to get even ever since, right? So you decided to help a fellow gangster out with his plan to discredit the police department." Irushi backed away a bit to give Sano room to breathe. "You've had quite a bit of trouble with cops in the past, ne Sanosuke? Now is your chance to get back at the lot of them especially the goddamned Wolf of Mibu."
Despite the jolt to his senses and a gun to his head, Sano was alert enough to be thoroughly pissed off. He scowled down at his captors face balling his right hand into a dangerous fist. His voice was low and dark.
"You know too much about me. Why did it take you this long to figure it all out? Why did you trust me to begin with?"
"I never did. Why do you think I asked you all of those questions? It was my way of discrediting you from the start. I liked you but there was something not right with your story. I still like you but I won't hesitate to kill you if the opportunity arises. Here is the deal. I have a plan and you are going to implement it for me. You will be the policeman who discredits the police department. You have lots of nice training to make some very grisly murders. Once you have done that I will see if there is some other way I can use you. If you decide not to cooperate then the woman dies. It's as simple as that. What do you say, Sagara?"
* * * * * *
"What do you say, Sagara?"
It was the soft-spoken, unfamiliar voice that brought her out of her slumber, and it took just a few seconds to measure the situation. She didn't dare move but she did crack an eye open to see what was going on. What she saw made her want to jump up and scream. Why was there a gun pointed at Sanosuke, and why was he not doing anything about it? The Sano she knew would have taken that man down by now. Was the smaller man that powerful, that intimidating?
A small sigh escaped her, and she caught herself before the low sound could resonate the room. Well, she thought she caught herself. The sigh soon turned into a loud gasp as her eyes flew open. The beating of her heart made it hard for her to breathe, and she soon found herself sitting up and fighting for breath. She wished this were all a dream. She didn't want to believe that any of it was real. How could any human possess such an evil pair of eyes?
Megumi had in fact attracted the man's attention, and now his horrible gaze was focused directly at her. The smile that formed on his face made her nauseous.
"Oh my. She's awake."
Time moved slowly now, for it seemed to take forever for Sanosuke to turn his head slightly and look over his left shoulder. With one small glance he told her to stay calm. What is he, crazy?
Irushi's expression darkened and Megumi felt the unmistakable slap of hatred strike her. She wasn't sure where she found the courage to stand her ground, but she continued to gaze back at him, even though what she wanted to do was turn away. The stranger was indeed terrifying but the last thing she wanted to show him was how frightened she was. She kept her gaze fixed on his, and the darkness of his eyes immediately sucked her in.
Death, destruction, and a desire to cause it came to her all at once. If he had his way he would see to it that everyone fell on their bloody knees before him so he could act as their God and decide who would live and who would die. This man was insane. Whatever hardships he endured in his life, granted him a black heart. For a brief moment Megumi felt sorry for him.
I wonder if he has friends. Does he have people who love and care about him? If he did I'm sure he wouldn't feel so alone-and he wouldn't feel he has to hurt others to heal his own wounds.
Megumi was surprised to gather this much information about the young man by staring into his eyes. They seemed to be open to anyone who dared take a look and catch a glimpse of the kind of soul that lay within- but Megumi decided she didn't want to know anymore about him. So she looked away.
"You are a very brave woman, Takani-sensei," Irushi said softly and took one step away from Sanosuke. "Not many ladies can look me square in the eye without bursting into tears. Perhaps you didn't look deep enough, sweetheart." His drawling voice went low and he absently retracted the gun so that it leaned against his shoulder and pointed to the wall behind him. "Suppose I just come on over there-" He took a step toward her. A pair of strong hands shoved him as a voice growled fiercely at him.
"Back off."
Irushi continued to look at Megumi. "You're in no position to tell me what to do, Sanosuke. The only authority you have is over your woman. She is your prisoner after all."
Sano didn't hide his puzzlement and Irushi was only too happy to clarify. "I assume that you would choose to have your woman as your prisoner instead of a corpse." His thumb clicked back the lever. "So again, I ask you, what do you say, Sagara-san?"
The barrel came down with a swish and Sano caught it within the palm of his hand. The dark stare now fell on the gangster.
"I'm your only direct link to the police department. Good luck trying to find another former gangster turned cop in Tokyo. I won't do shit for you if you hurt her. If you do then I have no reason to live anymore."
Irushi looked hard at him. Sano saw the conflict within, the debate to either blow his insolent brains out or tolerate his lovesick determination to save Megumi. He felt her eyes on him and he agonized over what she might be thinking. Three more chambers; two more chances to live or time to die. Sano wasn't eager to find out either. As much as he hated to do this he knew that he had to play along. He understood it all now. To save Megumi he had to turn against her. The logic behind that made him sick for he swore he would always do what he could to make her happy. But he was tired of playing this game.
His grip on the barrel was so tight it hurt when he finally let go. He owed his captor an answer, and he owed the woman he loved another chance to live. His head moved slowly and his nod was almost unnoticeable. It was good enough.
Irushi finally lowered the gun. "I can never understand it. Love that makes people do such odd things." He shook his head in bewilderment. "I'll never get it. If you feel so strongly about this then we seal our agreement right now. Your first official job will be to find the appropriate accommodations for your woman. After she is secured I want you to go immediately to your next task, which is to kill your boss, Saitoh Hajime. That back slash should do the trick. You created it to be non-lethal. Now figure out a way to make it kill."
He moved away from Sanosuke and allowed him to walk over to Megumi. She looked down at the floor her hair hiding the expression on her face, but the slump of her shoulders told him that she was tired of this as well.
How the hell am I supposed to convince her that everything is all right? How can she believe that I have it all under control when she sees a gun pointed at my face? Damn, I want to tell her that it'll be all over soon, because that much I do know.
Sano leaned forward and gripped both of her wrists. She looked up at him. "Don't worry about me. I can take it. I don't want him to hurt you. Do whatever you have to do so that he doesn't kill you, alright?"
Sano didn't answer her. He just pulled her off of the futon and turned her around so that he stood behind her, which allowed him to bring her arms back and hold them securely by her wrists. He saw movement from the corner of his eye and turned to see Irushi walk toward a dark corner of the room. He heard a loud creek and among those shadows he saw a deeper darkness that looked as if it led into the depths of hell. Irushi materialized from the darkness and motioned for Sano and Megumi to pass through the doorway.
"After you," he said graciously and tipped his hat at Megumi when she passed. She stole a glance into those dark eyes again, and looked deeper this time. She saw all the chaos she had seen earlier, but there was something else there now, the thing that must have driven those other women to cry. However, from what she saw she guessed they did not cry out of fear. They cried out of despair. Megumi blinked her eyes and looked deeper. She saw it clearly now. Those women were devoted to him during different stages of his life, and in one form or another they all sacrificed their lives to save his. They didn't cry because they were afraid to die. They cried because they didn't want to leave him.
Sano's body pushed against hers and she stumbled forward. She looked away to concentrate on the floor, which was coming closer and closer, until a quick jerk from behind brought her back to her feet. Sano must have felt sorry for doing that to her. His thumb passed lightly over the inside of her palm and he squeezed her hand gently. She continued on.
Love that makes people do such odd things. I'll never get it.
Those words explained a lot to Megumi. He wasn't capable of the kind of emotion that she shared with Sanosuke. He had no idea what love was, which meant that he wasn't able to accept anyone's heart unless he cut it out himself.
It must be miserable to be that empty, Megumi thought as she walked through the door, but she didn't feel sorry for him. He was right. After looking so deeply into his soul she wanted to cry. She wanted to cry because she wasn't sure if she would leave the compound with Sanosuke. She had never considered that possibility until now. If neither of them made it past this day to spend their lives together then she knew that her tears would fall.
* * * * * *
The activity within the tunnels died down. Kenshin thought that now was a chance for them to make it to the unguarded door and finally catch up to the man who had started all of this trouble. He never thought that he would be involved in another fight to save Japan, yet Sano's involvement made that inevitable. He wondered how he never figured out that Sanosuke led a double life for the past two years.
He doesn't visit the dojo that often anymore; his tab at the Akebeko has been going down slowly according to Tae; and he knows how to use a sword without killing anyone.
Kenshin was impressed. No not impressed. He was proud. He was sincerely proud that his friend could accomplish so much in a short period of time. He wasn't sure how far Sanosuke was involved with Saitoh and the department, but he knew that the Wolf didn't waste any time in recognizing Sano's abilities.
He looked over to see what Saitoh had in mind to get them into that chamber and noticed that the Wolf of Mibu made himself purposely visible to those who patrolled the cave. Kenshin was puzzled. "Saitoh, what are you doing? They're going to see you."
Sure enough the moment he said those words a man appeared before them. Kenshin's hand went to his sword. He hadn't been in a battle for more than two years but he still had his instincts intact. He read the strangers moves immediately. The blade of his sakaba came swiftly to clash against the steel of another sword. He then pulled back and looked curiously at his partner. Saitoh Hajime placed his sword back into its sheath and turned to regard the newcomer with contempt.
"That was a stupid thing to do. The soldiers could have heard the noise you caused," he said pressing himself against the wall to hide himself once again. The newcomer wasn't the least bit bothered by Saitoh's disapproval. He shrugged carelessly and now directed his attention at Kenshin.
"I wasn't sure if you actually had the legendary Battousai with you. I wanted to see for myself," he said eyeing the sakaba poised at Kenshin's side. "You certainly live up to your legend. I would have been dead had Inspector Fujita not blocked that Battou-Jutsu you aimed at me. I'll be much more careful next time, Battousai."
Kenshin narrowed his gaze and peered at the stranger through slits. "Who are you?"
The Wolf snorted in his corner. "Relax Battousai. He is my other spy. He is here to tell us how to reach that chamber." Saitoh turned to his officer. "You look to be the only one who's doing any work around here. Kyuuto Irushi doesn't know how to pick hardworking soldiers."
"What are you talking about? He picked Sanosuke. He has to be one of the best men on that team. Isn't he your top policeman?" asked Kenshin.
Saitoh looked at the rurouni. "He is-which is why Irushi doesn't know how to pick out a real criminal from a former one. The moment he took Sanosuke into the compound, he has been slowly carving his name onto his own headstone. For such a bad sense of judgment he deserves the worst punishment out of all of them." Before Kenshin could say anything against that, Saitoh turned to his spy again for a report.
"You were near the room. Was there anything going on?"
The spy nodded solemnly. "Kyuuto knows about Sagara-san."
Saitoh was quiet for a moment. Kenshin wondered what went through his mind. "I see."
"The woman was in the room."
Saitoh was unusually alarmed at this. "I see," he repeated. "She was probably taken there to be interrogated by Kyuuto Irushi, but Sanosuke got there first. That dumb bastard." After muttering those last words he shook his head in bewilderment. Kenshin noticed the Wolf's brow momentarily crease with what looked to be concern, but the minute he tried to get a closer look it was gone. Saitoh concerned for Sanosuke? No, he had imagined it.
"So what has become of the situation now?"
"Sagara-san has been ordered to imprison the woman. And after that he is to find you, and kill you."
Saitoh snorted at that. "Kill me? He can't even immobilize me the right way. Well, we'll see how well he holds up now that I know all about his move. I've been looking forward to a rematch with Roosterhead. I'll give him a good fight."
Kenshin looked incredulously at him. "You're actually going to fight Sano? That's your plan for getting us out of this?"
"No. If the Roosterhead has been ordered to find me, then perhaps I can save some time and have someone take me directly to him. Our fight may just be enough to entertain Irushi so that he or his guards won't notice that someone has gotten directly to Austin."
Kenshin moved so that he could peek out at the unguarded doorway. It was an opportunity to approach the man himself. If Saitoh and Sano could divert their attention long enough, then Kenshin could get to he old man and perhaps talk some sense into him. He figured that Austin was instrumental, but not the mastermind of this. He had the money but that was all he was good for.
"Alright, I'll do it. But remember who you're fighting. Don't pick this fight as the one to settle your score. Remember why we're here."
Saitoh smirked at Kenshin. "Settle my score? I wouldn't dream of it. I have a very ugly gash on my back thanks to him, and it will certainly be enough motivation for me to make the fight believable. But settle my score? Of course not- but I won't go easy on the Rooster. He's going to learn among other things, not to bite Mibu's Wolf. We bite back."
With that Saitoh handed his sword over to the spy who unsheathed it and pointed it at the Wolf's throat. The sight of this made Kenshin uneasy. He had to remind himself that it was part of the plan. The spy waved the sword at Saitoh indicating for him to move toward the stairs. Once they were there Saitoh gave his spy a slight nod and then fell over from the vicious strike he received. Kenshin had to refrain himself from attacking the spy. Saitoh lay on his side recovering from a blow to his head, and the spy turned the sword over again so that the blade pointed at his boss. He glanced at Kenshin and fired off hasty directions.
"When I get Inspector Fujita to the main floor I'm going to have some of the guards help me trap him. We should cause enough of a commotion to let you slip past us. Neither I, nor Inspector Fujita will be able to give you a signal so use your best judgment. You will only have that one chance so make it count." Before he turned to carry out his end of the plan he paused to gaze meaningfully at the rurouni. Kenshin felt as if he were seeing the young man alive for the last time. "It was my honor to meet you. Good luck to you, Battousai," and then he and Saitoh were gone.
Kenshin went close enough to the stairwell to study the scene before him. Saitoh stumbled forward with the spy at his heels. This caught the attention of the guards on the floor.
"Oi, what's he doing in here?" one of them asked and a group of soldiers formed around them with their swords drawn.
The spy stopped when Saitoh stood up. He had a fierce look in his eyes that made him look insane when a thick line of blood trailed down his face from a gash on his forehead. He focused his energy on keeping himself on his feet. The spy lowered the sword.
"I found him lurking about in the tunnels. This is the cop that Irushi-sama has been looking for, the former Shinsengumi captain, Saitoh Hajime."
The look on the soldier's faces told Kenshin that they had immediately condemned the Wolf of Mibu. They descended upon him. The spy took his place among the soldiers and surrounded Saitoh, making it difficult for him to run for it. But of course, that wasn't in the policeman's nature. He thrived on battles like this. He felt the blood pound in his ears and he went directly for the spy.
"You have something that belongs to me," he said, dodging an oncoming blade and taking the young man down. The spy didn't put up much of a fight when Saitoh took back his sword. The Wolf was now armed and ready for his prey. He took one swipe with his sword and drew blood from a warrior who had attempted to impale him. Then he was quickly in Gatotsu form when the rest of the warriors pounced on him. Saitoh went through five of them and managed to wound another when he was struck from behind. The gash on his back screamed with pain and momentarily rendered him to his knees. He looked past the bodies he had cut through and saw that more soldiers were on their way. Many doors were unguarded now. The special room was free to invade, and he hoped that the Battousai was smart enough to see the opening. He thrust his sword into the floor and used it as leverage to pull himself to his feet. When he looked around he saw that there were double the amount of soldiers now. That was fine with him. For every one of his officers that was killed he vowed to take down ten of Kyuuto Irushi's. He looked momentarily at his spy and hoped he was ready. Then he went into his Gatotsu stance once again.
Kenshin had a sinking feeling in his stomach. He knew that Saitoh and his spy had a plan but the situation looked as if it was going to take a dangerous turn. The rurouni was amazed that the wolf was able to strike down another group of warriors and then take another blow, this one in his right arm. The blood soaked through his dark uniform and dripped down his now limp arm. This was definitely getting serious. Kenshin wanted to jump in and help his partner. His gaze went to the spy who had taken the lead in the attack against his boss. It looked as if it were going to be a show down between the two.
He can't take this fight too far. He has to remember that he is doing all this in order to reach Sanosuke.
Kenshin sighed and reluctantly inched out of the stairwell. He looked around carefully screening the area above him. The room wasn't very far off at all. All he needed was the right moment. He scanned the area again. There was no one in the path between the stairwell and the room. He looked in the direction of the fight. The spy and his boss were dead in the center of a group of entranced warriors.
Saitoh, please don't go too far. I hope your man knows what he's doing.
And with that, he leapt onto the floor and bolted straight for the room. No one noticed; except the former Shinsengumi's Third Unit captain, Saitoh Hajime. Nothing could make him forget the speed of the Battousai and that is exactly what he saw out of the corner of his eye as he charged his spy. His Gatotsu was purposely executed at half-speed so that his spy could connect with his own blow. Saitoh felt the blade of the sword cut into his arm once again. He was in enough pain to make his reaction seem more realistic than an act. His spy took this opportunity to turn his sword around and strike Saitoh in the back of the head with the blunt edge. The wolf went down immediately, accepting this defeat as a breather for the fight that was yet to come. As he closed his eyes he relaxed and listened.
"We can't kill him. Irushi-sama wants this man alive. Take him to a cell and clean him up. He will need plenty of rest for what Kyuuto Irushi has planned for him." The voice of his spy rang in his ears and Saitoh hoped that he survived the entire ordeal. When they returned to the police department he would definitely suggest a promotion for this officer. But for now, he had to think of his own survival. He felt his body being dragged away and he rested, content that this part of their plan had been a success.