Das Konzert version eins
Part Two: Das Ewige Dasein
Chapter Thirty-five:
Mind Dive
~--------Crashers da... ansatsujin~
~--------Crashers...
Assassins~
The night was still and over the northeastern horizon hung a vibrant orange moon. His breath misted in the cool autumn night. So far as he could see, there were no stars, only the moon. It stared at him with that luminous eye and made him uneasy.
Honjou Yuushi, or 'Knight' as he was more often called, pressed his gloved hand to his ear and initiated a hushed roll-call.
" Bishop? "
He could almost hear the smile in Shirasagi Rei'ichi's answer. " Hai, ready to go. "
" Rook? "
" All alone but here, " Tanuma Masato answered in a blase singsong tone. He didn't like to admit it, but he was a little put-out that Ran was gone.
" Paun? "
" I'm here Knight, " the youngest member answered quickly. " But give me a minute more to get the-- " Over the radio Knight heard an electronic hiss. " Never mind. Door is open and ready. "
" Inside? "
" Dark... empty. I wonder if they cleared out. "
" Not those bastards. Probably waiting for us, " Rook interjected.
" We'll deal with that when we get to it. You all know our orders, we get in, grab information, and get out, destroying anything we see as a threat. Rook, Bishop, you precede me. I'm entering the grounds now. "
" Hai. "
" Knight out. "
Knight's footsteps crunched across the grass laden with frost as he crossed the grounds from the guard box. The sign on the wire fence was nondescript, but for the mark where Rook had put his cigarette out on it earlier. It was in German, but they all knew what it read: Rosenkreuz Laboratories.
The dark shapes of the low cluster of buildings came into view, gradually clearing as he neared them. Paun was standing by the gaping mouth of a door, ready to close it after Knight. That would effectively lock them inside the veritable fortress the laboratories were made to be.
Knight had a bad feeling.
He paused inside as Paun let the door hiss shut. The cold slid off his trenchcoat, spilling into the sterile hallway while his eyes adjusted.
" Bishop went right. Rook went left. I'll be heading down towards the computer centre. " Paun bit his lip fearfully. " Knight, the radios don't work in here. The walls are too thick. "
" You're wrong. "
Paun froze, startled by the tone in Knight's voice. " N-? "
" They're blocking us. " Knight looked at Paun, studying the crisscrossing shadows on his young face. He had to have faith in his team. " But no worries. The plan covered such an incidence, didn't it? "
" H-Hai, but... I don't like it. " Paun was shaking. He could hear it in Knight's voice, there were doubts there. " Knight... "
" If you are going down, then I am going up. Suspend the door security as soon as you can Paun. Most likely we will be forcing our way out. " Knight ducked into a stairwell and raced up two steps at a time. Dawdling would get them killed, of that he was sure.
The laboratories are said to have been started during Hitler's reign over Germany, even though they are in Switzerland. The Nazi carried out research on people, mostly children, with extraordinary abilities. But some sources claim that it goes back much farther than that, and that the Rosenkreuz are up to something much more sinister.
He couldn't begin to fathom what could be more sinister than what was already involved, he reflected. As he rounded a corner he opened his coat and fingered the hilt of his belt sword. For comfort? Security? Who knew.
Crashers, your mission is to infiltrate the Rosenkreuz laboratories and gather information on what they're really doing. If you deem it necessary, destroy whatever else you find. We're giving you the utmost discretion on this one.
Knight ruefully remembered jokingly asking Queen if they'd have time for skiing. Right now, in that oppressive building, he didn't much find humor in anything.
(@)
Rook let out a guffaw as he came to the end of the hallway. Here it spread out into a wide area surrounded by glass doors. Overhead a skylight gave way to a yawning blackness that was in no way identifiable as the sky. In the middle of the pristine tiled floor stood a solitary man.
" Is this it? " Rook asked jokingly.
The other man lifted his head, a dead expression on his pale face. His scarred features were made all the more pale by the close cropped shock of white hair, cut through by a heavy black eyepatch. He watched Rook with the amber eye of a wild, remorseless animal.
" You are? " Rook was unnerved by the way his voice echoed ever so slightly.
" Farfarello, " came the answer, his voice as dead as his face. From his belt Farfarello drew fingers curled around it. He swiped it downward, and the blade shot out, extending to a length that made it more a sword. " Will you repent before God? "
Rook took a step back despite himself. " What? "
" God will forgive your sins, for you are His beloved child, " Farfarello examined the blade of his weapon carefully. " But... " the word dropped into the air, " He is a strict Father... " and then he moved, too fast to defend against across the room, " for you have to ask for His forgiveness. "
Rook's breath echoed loudly, pounding with his heartbeat in his ears. He dropped to the ground, no longer pristine but stained by his bloody. " Don't joke around... " Rook wheezed, a sardonic smirk on his face, " What kind of God would expect me to beg? "
" Good question, " and then Farfarello left him to die.
(@)
" Kn... t.... ee... ra.... Kn.... "
Knight paused, halfway in a doorway. His hand flew to his ear. " Nani? "
" .. ght... te... ait... "
" You're breaking up. They're blocking our radio signals. I-- " He stopped short as all of a sudden Rook came through in a burst of clarity.
" Knight... you bastard, come in. There's- hng- someone down here. Just... hhngh, did a number on me. "
" What?! Rook- Rook?! "
" What a boring death-- " Then static overtook the connection once more. Rook was gone.
Knight made a break for the stairs.
(@)
" You'd think a lab of this caliber would be more lively: that there would be more people... " Bishop pondered to himself, peering in doorways. He passed room after room with medical instruments and examining tables. Some had self contained computers, holding nothing but files on scores of subjects. He removed the data from each one and moved on.
One of the doors Bishop peered into gave way to an office. He stole inside carefully, switching on the computer. Only the blue light of the screen gave any illumination as he went back and shut the door. The shadows in the room were thick and absolute. His lithe, efficient hands masterfully hooked up the computer to his remote cd-rw drive, and he began to search for data.
What he found, was startling.
" K-Kritiker? "
There on the logs was a number of transactions with one of the widely 'known' Kritiker accounts. He kept poking around and his stomach lurched.
Kritiker.
Kritiker was involved with Rosenkreuz.
Sonna!!
" And why not? "
Bishop shot up with a start. The chair toppled behind him, hitting the tiled floor with a clattered that seemed to echo on for ages. Into the scarce blue light emerged the face of another man.
" Hello Shirasagi. "
" S-Sakai. What are you--? "
" It's only natural, no? Surely you didn't think Kritiker was infallible, Shirasagi. You, of all people, should know. " Sakai had an unnatural look on his face; a grin that gave Bishop chills. This was not a sane grin. " It's an age where everything has to be better, faster, and all the while we forget our futures, our pasts. It's an accelerated history. Out with the new and in with the newer, no? "
" Wh-What are you saying? Sakai!? "
Suddenly the room filled with light. Bishop cringed at the sudden change, shielding his eyes. When his vision adjusted, he and Sakai weren't alone in the office.
" This is Farfarello, " Sakai introduced serenely, " he is the member of a team called Schwartz... they're kind of like Crashers in a way, only without the cute chess reference and with much more efficient... shall I say, skills. "
Knight burst out of the stairwell and was immediately knocked back by an explosion. He felt the edges of the steps dig painfully into his back, and blood trickle down his face. Eyes squeezed shut, Knight lurched into a sitting position and pushed the debris from his hair. Dazed, he only distantly felt the fires raging around him, the heat rolling off the concrete walls, slowly building pressure...
" They said you'd reached the end of your usefulness. "
Knight gave a start, retaliating blindly at the calm voice in all the chaos. He didn't hit his target, but very close.
" R- Rook-- " Knight gasped, he was struggling for coherency... he probably had a concussion. Had he hit the stairs that hard? What- What had exploded?
" Dead. "
That stopped Knight cold. " Wh- " He blinked at the stranger. " No... " His hand hovered at his face, as he shook his head slowly from side to side in disbelief. " Bishop... "
" Dead, " came the word again. A simple answer to a question yet unasked.
He felt queasy, but it had to be... had to be the heat. It was impossible, Bishop and Rook... they couldn't be... couldn't be... His breath caught in this throat, and the next question was a hoarse whisper, " Paun? "
Once more those lips uttered the words Knight hated to hear, " Also dead. Your team is gone, Honjou Yuushi. "
Knight's shoulders stooped forward, and he stood like a broken man. " Did you kill them? "
" Not directly. "
Knight's gray eyes raised to meet those of the man he would someday know as Brad Crawford. " You were saying...? "
Crawford gave a noncommittal half-smile, oblivious to the conflagration ever-growing and rising about him. " How would you describe the world you live in, Honjou Yuushi? It is a world of necessary evils and self-imposed delusions. How are you any different from me? You have orders to kill, as do I. From my point of view... " the half smile grew, ever so slightly as he said, " ... perhaps you are the 'bad guy'. "
" That's wrong! " Knight interjected, desperation in his words, " You're wrong! "
" Oh? "
The roar of the fire filled the silence that ensued.
Crawford lifted his chin and looked down on Knight. " So, Kritiker pursuing a deal with Rosenkreuz was-- "
" Urusai!! " Knight shouted.
Crawford smiled again, knowingly. He'd suspected all along. " You knew. "
" I didn't. "
" You suspected. "
" You're wrong! "
" I'm not. "
Knight lunged at Crawford, eyes blinded by rage and smoke. The belt sword whipped through the air, disrupting the heat waves and stinging his face with small backfires. He felt like he was moving through water, making a pitiful attempt at evading the punch Crawford aimed at his jaw.
" You don't even know why you're angry. Are you angry at me? Or are you angry at the people who sent you here explicitly to die? "
They exchanged blows again, until with a grunt Crawford disarmed Knight and delivered a blow that dropped him to his knees. " Wrong... " Knight whispered to the floor, " You're wrong... " His breath catching as he fought with his grief. " Rei'ichi... "
" They said you'd reached the end of your usefulness, " Crawford reiterated. " It's only natural in an organization such as theirs. They moved who they wanted to keep to a different project and yours just faded away. Even the opposing side had little interest, just Farfarello was sufficient. Destroy the compromised Rosenkreuz laboratory and all signs of the contract with Kritiker. But you... " Crawford's steps came to a halt directly before Knight. " You, I think could be of use to me, if you're willing to die tonight with the rest of your team, Knight. "
Knight looked up at him. " You mean revenge. "
" Perhaps. But who's 'evil' now, Honjou Yuushi? The people who sent you here to die, or myself who is offering you another chance at life? " Crawford offered his hand. " The ceiling will come down soon. Make your decision. "
Knight- Honjou Yuushi got to his feet of his own volition and stared at his murderer- his savior- firmly. " Do you think I will be so easily swayed? "
" No, but I know you care more for your former teammate than you do for your integrity. "
" Ran? " Honjou questioned softly.
The ceiling cracked and groaned above them, and the room was oppressive. Breathing was laborious. Crawford wasn't kidding about the ceiling, he could tell. Yet, he stayed... waiting... for an answer Honjou could see already reflected in the other man's eyes. Blood and sweat ran into his eyes, and he could feel his chest growing tighter, his muscles straining to keep him upright. And while he stared into the calm and cool eyes of Crawford he arrived at the only option he could see...
" Knight is dead then. "
(@)
Some weeks later, Honjou picked up the phone and steadily dialed the number from memory. There was one ring, and then two. Always two, to let the caller-I.D. pick up. It would do Ishida no good, he'd be gone before they had a chance to trace the European number. As the line clicked and Ishida's pleasant greeting filled his ears, Honjou approached the bay window and looked out over the teeming cityscape. It was completely different from anything in Japan, yet he couldn't articulate just what it was... something older... or something darker...
Or maybe it was just a shift in perception.
He waited until Ishida gave his greeting a second time. " Je suis Yuushi Honjou, " he spoke in heavily accented French, having no doubt that Ishida would understand. " J'ai besoin de un avion. Un Cessna. " A pause while he listened to Ishida's concerns. He really had been a good friend to him; the only place he could turn to now. " Knight... " He turned as the door clicked open and shut behind him. Smiling at his visitor, he completed the line, relishing in saying it. It was pretentious, unnecessary, and yet... " Knight es mort. "
It felt good.
~(@)~
~--------tsuzuku~
[Written by Inseiko, 2002]
Translation notes: (two languages this time, this chapter is special!!)
Hai - Yes
Sonna - 'It can't be!'
Urusai! - shut up!
And the french, which I won't retype because it's right up there translates
to;
This is Yuushi Honjou. I am in need of a plane. A Cessna. Knight...
Knight is dead.
Author's Notes:
-The actual word for assassin is 'ansatsusha' The kanji I'll be using
in the final version is a bit different. In changing the final character
I'm implying that not only are they assassins, but they're assassinated
people as well. At least that's my intent. I always think of the actual
kanji as refering to people as things, as the final character has the same
reading (mono) as the kanji for 'thing'. Trust me, it either all works
out in the end, or I'm on crack. ^^
-Please forgive my French, btw. It's a little... no, a lot rusty.