"Geez, where does Toguro live?" Kuwabara asked as the car drove up a winding road toward the top of a hill.
"Well if you're going to do something illegal, the last thing you want are nosey neighbors asking to borrow a cup of sugar," Hiei replied.
Yusuke stepped harder on the gas pedal, a string of cars following him up the hillside. There was only thirty minutes left and every second that passed made him more anxious. 'I'm coming Keiko; just hold on for me please. I'm coming.'
"Time's running out Ms. Yukimura," Toguro said, lighting a cigarette. "Looks like Yusuke won't make it in time to save you."
"Yes he will; Yusuke will come for me," Keiko said, her heart thudding in her chest. Her voice was strong, but she felt like a nervous mess as the second hand slowly ticked on the clock hanging near by. She knew Yusuke was trying his best to make it in time; he wouldn't let anything happen to her. But that did little to ease the growing panic in her stomach.
"Maybe you overestimate the love Urameshi feels for you."
"No," Keiko said, shaking her head. "You underestimate how much he loves me. You have no idea what love can do; he'll be here, I know he will."
"Love makes you weak," Toguro mocked.
"Obviously you've never been in love," Keiko spat at him.
"I have, or at least I thought I did. It turned me into a sniveling weakling; it blinded me from the truth. Love is for the weak. You'll see how Urameshi breaks when he fails to save you in time," Toguro said coldly. "Or maybe you'll see it when he dies trying to save you."
"Yusuke won't fail," Keiko said confidently.
"What do we know Chu?" Kurama asked as they all gathered together. They stood a few yards away from the Red Demon headquarters, a huge mansion at the top of the hill, the only house around for miles. Isolated, perfect for an unrestrained gang battle, no one to call the police, no innocents to get caught in the crossfire.
"From what Rinku tells me there are guards stationed at every door and inside near every window on the first floor. We're gonna have to fight our way in," Chu said seriously, a startling change from his normally drunken demeanor.
"How many people guarding the doors and windows?" Yusuke asked, loading his gun. Yusuke hated using his gun; he felt as if it was a coward's way to fight. Any idiot could fire a gun and kill someone; it took real skill to be able to fight in hand-to-hand combat or even wield a sword like Hiei did. But tonight Yusuke didn't have any choice; he had to get in there and save Keiko no matter what the cost. If that meant he had to shoot a few Red Demon idiots, then he was willing to have the blood on his hands. He was willing to do anything to save Keiko.
"There's three guards at every door and two at every window," Rinku said, pulling his hat lower on his face.
"Could you wear a more noticeable color?" Kuwabara asked, looking at his red and yellow hat.
"I don't question your fashion choices, don't question mine," Rinku replied irritably.
"What's the battle plan Yusuke?" Toya asked, strapping on his wrist guards. Toya looked around at the assembled group, each dressed in their own gear. 'We must look like a conspicuous bunch,' he thought. Himself in his ninja gear from his dojo days, Rinku in his red and yellow outfit, Jin wearing only a pair of loose white pants, Koenma in his dress pants and tie. Even Genkai was there, dressed in a martial arts uniform. A strange looking group indeed, but a formidable bunch.
"Do you know where they're holding Keiko?" Jin asked.
Yusuke shook his head. "Kurama, did you bring those blue prints?"
"Right here," he said, spreading them out on the floor. "There are two floors to the building, multiple rooms; it'll take time to search all of them."
"Toguro would keep her here," Genkai said, pointing to a large room on the second floor.
"Why would you say that?" Yusuke asked, looking at his teacher.
"Toguro is all about putting on a show; look what he's doing now. He's trying to turn this all into a game, a hero running to save his princess. He's gonna want the best place to watch this all play out. There's only one way into this room so you can't sneak in and save Keiko. Having her on the first floor would be too easy."
"Sounds good enough to me," Yusuke said. "Not like we have any other ideas right now."
"So what's the battle plan Urameshi?" Kuwabara asked, taking off his blue jacket.
"Jin and Toya, I want you to head around to the back door. Rinku and Chu, take out as many people as you can who are guarding the windows. Kurama, I'm gonna need that fire bomb you've been working on. Me, you, Hiei, and Kuwabara are gonna handle the front door," Yusuke said.
"I'm getting whoever attacked Yukina," Hiei said coldly.
Yusuke nodded; he couldn't disagree with Hiei there. "Yukina, you and Baby face stay by the car. If we need medical help, we'll call you. I don't want you stepping foot out of the car otherwise, okay? No matter what you hear or what you see, if someone doesn't call you then you don't come." Yukina nodded, her first aid kit held in a white knuckle grip.
"What about me dimwit?" Genkai asked.
"Do whatever the hell you wanna do Grandma; you're one hell of a fighter, I don't need to order you around. Everyone keep safe and watch each other's back," Yusuke said with a cheeky smile, mentally counting his guns as he walked toward the door. 'Two guns, five spare bullet clips, it should last long enough.' "Toguro is mine."
"Your boyfriend is cutting it close Ms. Yukimura," Toguro said. "Only two minutes left."
"He's gonna be here," Keiko said calmly, her palms sweating.
"Are you so sure?" Toguro said. "Perhaps he's left you to die."
"You don't know Yusuke as well as you think then." Toguro opened his mouth to reply when there was a sudden explosion downstairs, the floor shaking slightly.
"What the hell!" Toguro exclaimed.
"He's here," Keiko said victoriously, a smile on her face.
Yusuke and the boys are storming Toguro's mansion. Will they manage to save Keiko and make it out alive or will we lose a beloved character? Reviews please