30 Days
End of day 9 and beginning of day 10
For Spawn and Amber, the two protégé's I can't live without, and Lance, who got me here two years ago-Merry Christmas!
The cell was a small affair; Maka sat there huddled in a corner fearful of what act she would have to do next. Soul and she were sinking into a life of depravity, something she did not want. Even now watching Soul struggle with the snake inside him, his small grunts and groans of pain, made her want to die. She did not hear the rumbling; the cavalry had arrived and was making its way inside.
Sid taped the comlink on his ear, Mira did the same, and Ragnarok's new, gruff voice came through the speakers.
"Luchador to Romero and Karloff, I am at the front gate right now. The snake is out of the cage, I repeat the snake is out of the cage." Ragnarok said.
"Roger that, Luchador, we are .01 miles to the entrance of the cell. Anyone inside?" Sid said.
"Negative Romero, the house is vacant." Ragnarok said.
"Madarame, can you give us a go, no go for entry?" Sid said. Steve's voice came through the comlink.
"Madarame to Kouga and Minase, give me a map and neural scan." Steve said to Lance and Mark who were feverishly typing on their laptops.
"We're all clear!" Lance said.
"Madarame to recon you are go for entry. May Shinigami-sama be with you!" Steve said as Ragnarok opened the door, Sid, and Mira's heads popped into the dungeon.
Maka leapt in the air as Sid and his weapon popped through the dirt floor.
"Sid, how did you?" Maka asked.
"No, time for questions, "he said jerking his thumb over to Soul's curled form, "Can he move?"
"Not very well, he's losing a lot of energy." Maka said. Sid leapt out of the hole and hefted the scythe over his back.
"Come on, we don't have much time." Sid said and leapt down the hole, Maka followed.
"Madarame, targets acquired, moving back to base." Mira said.
"It's all yours Luchador; bring back the real Shinigami-sama." Steve said.
"Roger that, Madarame, going downstairs now" Ragnarok said, and made his way to the dungeons.
The lighting in the dungeon was just enough to show the slick concrete walls, hanging light bulbs danced small jigs in the stale air. Mold and mildew, perfumed the corridor at the edge of the stairwell. Dripping water accentuated the sounds of his feet sloshing in the small pool of dirty liquid that was the hallway. Flipping a small screen on his gold cuffs, he saw he was right on top of Shinigami-sama's cell. Reaching it, he saw the death god, his mask gone his body no longer the jagged mess it once was. In its place was a frail body, covered in scars from his captives, his golden eyes wide open in terror. His black hair tousled. Ragnarok placed his fingers on the death god's neck, no pulse. Ragnarok looked around and saw a piece of paper on beside the body, picking it up, Ragnarok read it silently. He stopped and scanned for a soul wavelength but came up empty, then went up the stairs. Checking his cuff computer Medusa and Free would not be home for another thirty minutes. It was just enough time for him to book it and give his report.
Shibusen was quiet at night, the only people there were, Stein, Marie and Sprit. Stein was looking over an X-ray of Soul's body, hoping to find a way to pull it out of him before it eventually corrupted him. Marie was thumbing through records of the death of the Star clan, and Spirit was watching his daughter sleep. None would know of what was going on at the hospital as the recon team and the two researchers sat around a small hospital bed discussing plans.
"Here's where we stand: As of right now, midnight, now ten days into this affair, we have seen some dramatic shifts. Our leader has left our world, leaving the head job to his son. Our principle victims, Mr. Evans, and Ms. Albarn, have survived a brush with madness. Yet we are no closer to figuring out what Medusa is planning or what the cause for the return of Soul's affliction is?" Steve said.
"How much do the people at the academy know?" Lance said.
"Not much," Sid said, "By 8 A.M there will be a campus wide announcement of Shinigami-sama's death. No one outside this room knows, not even Spirit or Stein. We're looking at an uncertain future here."
"Has the projection been disabled?" Steve said.
"I put a virus in system at Shibusen. If someone opens the projection then it sends the whole system into lockdown. Nothing in or out, for 24 hours." Lance said.
"Wonderful, now here is the six million dollar question: What is the likelihood that Takinawa will try to take over operations tomorrow?" Steve said.
"We know from a keystroke virus we put on his computer he has a hit list made up. Names include, Spirit Albarn, Kami Jacobson, Franken Stein, Marie Mjolnir, and surprise, surprise, you." Mark said.
"Well, we all knew my number was up when Maka attacked me. Do we know any more about Evans and where he is getting his meth?" Steve said.
"Takinawa has got a guy somewhere in Battle Mountain, that's 70 miles from here, calls himself 'The Chef.' Supposedly, he makes a mean batch of ice; this shit is bad news too. One guy in Carson City decided to shoot up a big syringe full of this shit and his heart muscles got too strained that they tore in half. Guy literally died of a broken heart." Ragnarok said.
"Okay, so we know where he gets his stuff, where does he get his equipment? Us three know Kent State has all of the operating system manuals, we memorized them so we could run programs, how does Evans know how to do it?" Steve said
"Still not entirely sure on that one," Sid said, "Most of Shibusen's staff had knowledge of the different systems, like commlinks, when we visited Kent's archives."
"Why would you do that?" Steve asked. Sid gulped.
"We were looking for someone." He said
"Who?" Steve said.
"Mark."
Crona sat on her bed in the guest room. She had thumbed through the latest issues of Nintendo Power and Official Playstation Magazine twice. Steve said he was hoping to get a Wii and Playstation 3 with some extra funds he got for promoting Bizzaro-Con Nevada at his store. It was then she heard a tap at her door. Jennifer peeked her head through the door. "Crona, there is a young man to see you, should I let him in? I know it's late." She said. Crona could make out Kid's form in the dimly lit hallway.
"Sure." Crona said as Jennifer waved him over.
"I am going to bed, keep it at a dull roar okay?" She said and walked away from the door. Kid stood there with a bouquet of lily's in his hand, his head low, sheepishly looking at the floor.
"Hi Crona," Kid said, "I got you these. I know it's late but I couldn't stop thinking about you."
"I was bored anyway, sit down." Crona said tapping the bed with her palm.
"I don't really understand what was wrong with me before? I mean I used to think constantly about my two weapons but now my life has been turned upside down. I mean, I never have felt this way before about anyone." Kid said.
"Do you think it's love?" Crona said.
"I am not quite sure. Crona would you do me a favor?" he said.
"Sure, what is it?" Crona asked.
"I want to kiss you. If it really is love then I should know if I kiss you. I know we've just met but still, please?" Kid said.
Crona leaned forward and placed her lips on his. Crona could feel his tongue enter her mouth tasting her, she followed suit. Both of them could feel the warmth between them and their pulses racing. Breaking the kiss gasping for breath together, Kid looked at her and smiled.
"It's love." He said. Crona smiled, tears in her eyes.
"I don't want you to leave me tonight" She said.
"Then I'll hold you till the sun comes up, how's that?" Kid said, laying on the bed.
"I'd love that." She said and lay on the bed, next to him. The scent of his Hugo Boss Cologne would linger on her for days.
Rachel boarded the first plane she could get on, Mark had to know the truth. For years they had been blocking out the memories of their teenage lives but now they had to face facts, a battle was coming. The storm on the horizon couldn't be stopped even with all of god's power. She sat in her seat and watched the sun stream through the cracks of the plane's window shade.
"Attention all passengers we are about to arrive at our destination, please fasten your seat belts." The Pilot said. Within moments she'd get the rental car and drive the twenty minutes to their alma matter, Shibusen, the place where he became a death scythe.
TBC