Chapter 36

"And here we are," the Colonel announced in a cheerful tone. "All finally reunited. All but Gojyo, that is."

"Where is he?" Hakkai asked hoarsely.

The Colonel spared him a lopsided smirk. "Why, eating breakfast, Hakkai. You're Hakkai, right? Gojyo's been worried sick about you."

Sanzo released the breath he had been holding, the shock at seeing his team once more trapped morphing into annoyance. Only a few minutes ago, things had been under control; now, thanks to his youkai's disastrous intervention, the tables had been turned on him again. To add insult to injury, it seemed that he would also have to put up with Gojyo's latest lover bragging about having exchanged more than corporal fluids with the whore. Thrilling.

"I've been very worried about him, too," Hakkai replied after a short pause. He sat very rigid on his bench, useless eye flickering in Sanzo's direction with a mixture of pleading and nervous distrust. "Who are you?"

"You may call me 'Colonel,' Hakkai; as with your monk, my given name isn't important. It's our titles that truly define us. Am I not right, Sanzo-sama?"

"Absolutely," Sanzo growled, not even bothering to hide his irritation. On the floor, Goku got to his knees, hugging himself. "We are our titles. That said… Don't you have an imploding town to take care of, Colonel?"

The man laughed and shifted his attention to the door. "Lieutenant? I want a report on this incident and a list of the incompetents who, directly or indirectly, were responsible for these youkai's trespasses. From Captain Wu Tai down, including Anthill personnel."

"Yes, Colonel."

"Both report and list must be on my desk by this evening, youkai riot or not. Now, take your men and wait outside."

Sanzo silently wished for some sort of balking on the lieutenant's part—at least a token protest at leaving his commander alone with potentially dangerous foreigners—but, after a curt bow, the officer simply gestured the rest of the soldiers out and left without hesitation. Considering that he had to negotiate or argue almost every order given to his group nowadays, such a display of impeccable discipline was another slap in Sanzo's face. Yeah, so his enemy had a better grip on his subordinates than himself on his demons.

"Now, Sanzo-sama," the Colonel said, kicking a round stool to a more strategic position in the center and dropping onto it with a sigh, "since I have a town to 'care for' and you have the whole world to save, let's cut the crap, shall we?" He produced a packet of cigarettes and a lighter from a pocket. A lighter that Sanzo knew well—had seen countless times flashing in between Gojyo's fingers. "So… You bought a pass from Xie Dewei. Politicians are the same everywhere, but kudos to you for choosing the right bait to catch the biggest fish."

Numbly, Sanzo watched Gojyo's lighter being flicked. Once. Twice. The cheap device always failed to ignite at first try. Then his enemy's words started to sink in.

Bait.

The right bait.

For the biggest fish.

He gritted his teeth, trying to hide his surprise. Gods, the man was not holding Gojyo prisoner due to any sense of duty. Gojyo was merely … bait.

To catch the biggest fish.

"Ah! And light was made!" the Colonel mocked and brought the bluish flame to the tip of his cigarette.

Sanzo looked down at Goku (now rocking back and forth), glanced at Hakkai (who resembled a cornered animal in his expectant stillness), adjusted carefully the scriptures on his shoulders, and went back to the window with measured steps. Hakuryu uttered a questioning whimper and moved to make room for him on the sill.

"What do you want from me, Colonel?" Sanzo asked in a neutral tone. "Whatever it is, I presume it's worth your career. Xie Dewei is very proud of his status and certainly won't take well to being crossed by one of his own employees."

"You're right, Sanzo-sama, he won't," the Colonel said. "But, alas, even our Head of the Council can't know or control everything, can he? At the end of the day, he's only … human."

"Unlike you," Hakkai blurted out. "Sanzo, he's a mind reader."

"Mind reader?" the Colonel chuckled dismissively. "Oh, no, Hakkai, not really; the youkai blood in my family is quite diluted by now. I can get vague hints of feelings and thoughts, but nothing too specific. I'm just—"

"Lies," Hakkai interrupted. "He is a mind reader, Sanzo. A really powerful one, at that."

Sanzo sighed and pinched his nose. It made sense—and he should have considered such a possibility after the meeting in Xie Dewei's front yard. The man had not even made an effort to hide his abilities, after all. But still…

Damn, who the fuck cared?

"You certainly don't," the Colonel said softly. And there was a hint of—disappointment? spite?—in his eyes before he averted them to Sanzo's horse. The animal was sniffing around its empty water trough. "You have good taste in mounts, Sanzo-sama." He made a pause, playing with Gojyo's lighter. "Young studs are wonderful to ride. When one is inclined to that kind of sport, of course. Are you?"

Sanzo stared at the man, his anger boiling. "Let me repeat my question," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous pitch, "because, apparently, you didn't understand it the first time. What. The hell. Do. You. Want. From me?"

"Would you believe me if I said nothing?" And the Colonel grinned. "Because I've already won, Sanzo. I beat you."

"Really? Was there a competition I was not aware of? A game?"

"And when isn't there one? Honestly, Sanzo! You only deign to acknowledge gods and demons as your opponents, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be on guard around us mere mortals."

"Gods and demons might have a motive to declare war on me," Sanzo responded gruffly, struggling to keep his mind an amorphous blank.

"Oh, I see, you are looking for a reason." The Colonel grinned again and took a drag from his cigarette. "Well. There is none. Unless you consider me exerting power as a means in itself. I could execute one of your demons or your complete entourage. Even Xie Dewei wouldn't dispute the necessity of an exemplary punishment for the foreigners that attacked his town's army—and him, by extension. You're a fast talker, Sanzo, but how would you explain these youkai of yours reeking of blood? How would you justify Hakkai wearing our uniform?"

"Despair, Colonel." Sanzo leaned on the sill, briefly patting Hakuryu's head. "You disregarded Xie Dewei's orders and kept one of my men in this fortress. Since you don't respect your superiors' decisions, and our holy mission is vital, I had no choice but to resort to force."

"That is the best you can come up with, Sanzo? Find another excuse, that one is lame."

"The truth is generally lame, Colonel." Sanzo held the man's stare evenly. "I'm sure you remember that Captain Wu Tai was with me when I tried to hand you Xie Dewei's letter. That was hours ago, right? Actually, that was yesterday. Still… Here we are, as you yourself said."

"Ah, but will Captain Wu Tai confirm your story?"

"He might. Haven't you just put his name on the top of your to-deal-with list?" Anticipating the Colonel's objections to that, Sanzo added, "I know he's a coward and I know I can't count on him. Others saw us together, though; Xie Dewei's house was crowded. Are all those people under your orders? Perhaps your loyal friends, willing to lie for you?"

The Colonel snorted and continued, "What about a second option, then? I could execute your demons and you, leaving our politicians to their mundane worries. Your demise would become just one more little secret of this fortress."

Sanzo frowned, pretending to take the words into consideration. "I wonder how long this little secret of yours will remain, uh, well, a secret? Not to mention 'little.' Questions will be asked—and answered—sooner than you imagine."

"Sanzo?" intruded Goku's voice, raspy and whiny. "I've found her grave. Can't … can't you go there with me and help her? Kind of … pray for her? I couldn't do much, but you… Can't you go?" He tilted his head up, stopping his rocking. "And he has been speaking to me. Telling me to kill… 'Kill everyone,' that's what he says and—"

"Shut up, Goku," Sanzo snarled.

"But… You told me to tell you when he speaks to me!"

"A very peculiar group you've assembled, Sanzo-sama," the Colonel commented acidly. "Unique."

Sanzo relaxed a fraction at the man's indifference to Goku's dangerous blabbering. "Believe me, Colonel, the deed wasn't mine."

"So I heard. You know…" the Colonel trailed off, then proceeded in a slow, reluctant voice, "I can't help but wonder if your gods will come here to save their Chosen One. I wonder if I'm going to have an epiphany when—if—this happens."

Sanzo raised his eyebrows. "Why, Colonel, you speak like a man who cares about those things!"

"Why, Sanzo, perhaps I do!" the Colonel mimicked, then laughed. "Understandable, ne? I've lived a life plagued by this gift, or curse, as some might label it. When I was younger, I used to wait for—and you can call me an idiot now—some sort of sign. I used to wait and—" He spared Goku a brief glance. "—pray for my own holy mission to be appointed to me. Silly, hmm?"

"Do you think that every youkai or half-youkai in this world has a divine mission to perform, Colonel?"

"Oh, no, Sanzo. Of course not. But demons and half-demons at least benefit from their condition."

"And you never benefited from yours, right?" Sanzo kept focused on his adversary, ignoring Goku's hurt glare. "Being able to tell what your superiors and subordinates want or need to hear… Huge advantage, in my opinion."

"Is it?" The Colonel tapped his cigarette, suddenly very interested in the falling ashes. "Would you like Goku so much if you were dragged into the pit of his soul daily? The glimpses you sometimes have, yeah, all fine and dandy; but would you appreciate the entire journey down?" He turned to Hakkai and smiled toothily. "What about him? He is also very special to you, right? But he has considered sleeping with you as a way to have Gojyo. Not very flattering, is it, to be used like that by someone you learned to respect?"

Hakkai gasped, startled. "Sanzo, I—I would never—"

"You shut up, too," Sanzo muttered, not bothering to soothe Hakkai's uneasiness. With luck, there would be time to do that afterwards.

"Yes, time," the Colonel whispered, addressing Sanzo's half-formed thought directly. "That's the key, Sanzo-sama. Time. When I think of youkai advantages, I think of life spans that, in some cases, stretch to true immortality. How old is this 'boy' of yours? How long will Hakkai and Gojyo live if left on their own? I, on the other hand… I've inherited the power but not the body to match it. I'm only … human."

Sanzo considered the man's words—and his actions. The conclusion was as shocking as it was absurd. "Am I your bait for the gods, Colonel? Am I your bait, like Gojyo was mine? Are you expecting to wrench from them your sought-for epiphany through me?"

Silence.

"It doesn't work that way, you know," Sanzo murmured. "If I were to have any divine help, it would have been granted already. Don't expect dramatic pyrotechnics like talking—and listening—balls of fire."

"You mean the youkai riot is pure coincidence?" the Colonel remarked disbelievingly. "Neither you nor your demons would have reached the Anthill's grounds if my men weren't distracted by it."

Sanzo shrugged. "Indeed. But it may also be a coincidence. The youkai Madness is spreading all over Togenkyo. I was more surprised in finding this town unaffected than by the violence you have now."

"Coincidence, Sanzo-sama? You are more of a skeptic than I am."

"Better to be a skeptic than a zealot," Sanzo rebutted. "Less chance of being disappointed. Less chance of becoming a bitter idiot."

The Colonel threw his cigarette onto the floor and in an angry, sudden movement, gained his feet and stepped on it. "There's also a third option, Sanzo-sama," he hissed, all his flippancy gone. "One that will appease all the parties involved. Care to hear it?"

"Do tell, please," Sanzo ground out.

"I let you go," the Colonel said, a little too eagerly. "I let you all go. Oh, don't look at me like that! Why not? I've proven my point: I'm smarter than you. You may be the Chosen One, you may fight gods and demons, but you're no match for me. Besides… Gojyo can be very, very persuasive."

Sanzo remained impassive only by sheer willpower. "So it seems, Colonel."

"Take my word on it, since you don't have the balls to go for it yourself." And the Colonel kicked his stool back to a corner. It crashed against the wall with a loud, cracking bang, causing the horse to rear up and Goku to jump to his feet. "Okay, Sanzo, your friend Xie Dewei is expecting me. I'll let the officer in charge know that you have my permission to fetch Gojyo from my office. You, Sanzo, understood? These two stay away. I won't have my men commenting on how I allowed a pair of youkai the tourist tour."

Sanzo took a few steps forward. "I'm taking your word, Colonel," he said, replaying the scene in his head, frantically searching for the trap, "that we all are free to go."

"Why, Sanzo, that's what I've said. Here!"

Sanzo reached instinctively to catch the lighter tossed to him over Goku's head. "Do you want Xie Dewei's letter?" he asked. "It's—"

"Keep it. I don't care." Then, his eyes glittering, the Colonel offered a curt, barely polite bow and left.