A/N: Well he didn't fall for the trap that the others thought he would; now we have to see what is going to happen and what he will do with Masami. Another innocent victim on his path to get the one thing he can't have. Here is the next installment, let me know what you think.

Chapter 48 – Get Away

Before Yasu made his way to the stairs, he called Masami and told her that he was on his way to the rendezvous point. He also told her to take everything out of the bag and put it all in her purse. He wasn't going to take the chance. He may not know everything, but he knew that there was always a possibility that the Yakuza was working with Haruhi and her friends. If enough money is offered, you can bend the mafia to your will.

Knowing that she would do anything he told her to do, Yasu hung up the phone and entered the stairwell laughing out loud as he made his way downstairs. It looked like this was a good day after all and he didn't fall into any traps. He would live to see another day, and each day brought him closer and closer to Haruhi.

When he stepped out onto the street, he noticed a couple of men looking around. It appeared that they were looking for someone in particular and he knew who that someone was… him. Recognizing one of the men walking around trying to act casual, he smirked, "So Kyoya Ootori is working with the Yakuza. I knew it. They think they can outsmart me, but I am now and will forever be one step ahead." Pushing up his glasses, he made his way to the meeting location with a spring in his step and a smile on his face. No one suspected a thing.

Walking up to the alley where he was supposed to meet Masami, Yasu saw her pacing and walking in circles looking agitated. It amused him and he got sick pleasure out of the terror she must have been feeling this morning. Schooling his features, he spoke softly, "Masami what's wrong?"

Masami shrieked and jumped afraid that it was someone other than Yasu. Whipping around, she finally felt better when she saw that it was the only person she wanted in her life now. Her legs moved of their own accord and she tackled him at last feeling safe and secure in his arms. "That man acted like he knew you and then I think I was followed, but I am pretty sure that I was able to shake them. I don't know for sure. I feel like everyone is watching me and mocking me for some reason. Did he know you?"

"Where are the guns?" Yasu asked running his hands up and down her back.

"I did what you said and I put them in my purse. Everything is in there. Do you know that man from the Yakuza?" Masami asked again desperate to hear the denial. Pulling back to look in his warm eyes, but warmth is not what she found. A coldness that chilled her to her very core was there. This was not the man she had spent the last couple of days with; pure evil lingered in his depths. Covering her mouth, she gasped, "Yasu?" The most menacing laugh erupted from the man standing in front of her and she was afraid. Fear like she has never known before seized hold of her and she was petrified and frozen in place.

Laughing, he grabbed her upper arms and squeezed, "Do I know him? Yah, you see we grew up together. Oh so many things you don't know about me." He was teasing her as he laughed at her pain. Pushing her away from him, he grabbed her purse ripping it from her and turning away.

"Yasu!" Masami called out weakly reaching out to him and grabbing the purse holding tight. She wanted to believe this wasn't the man she had fallen for. She wanted to believe that she could reach him and love him. This was entirely that bitch's fault, it had to be! Masami was the one that could bring out the loving side of him, and she would be by his side regardless of what happened so that the world could see how wonderful he really is.

"Let go," he spoke in a low menacing voice.

"Y-you d-d-don't mean that," she stammered unwilling to let him walk out of her life. She loved him and she knew he needed her love. He had said so.

"Oh, but you see I do my dear," he snarled and yanked the purse away from her. He grabbed one of the guns out of the main pocket and pointed it at her.

Shaking her head, Masami was stunned, "You wouldn't. It isn't loaded."

"Do you know that for sure?" Laughing when her eyes widened and she visibly shook with her terror, "You don't know for sure do you?" Pulling the trigger, the gun clicked. She screamed and Yasu sneered, "Looks like you were lucky today." Raising his arm, he brought the butt of the gun down as hard as he could on the side of her head knocking her to the ground. Blood started flowing from her wound. He knew he couldn't stay to finish the job since her scream was sure to bring attention to them. So instead of waiting around, he took off laughing internally and feeling a bit smug that he was able to put one over on the illustrious men of the Host Club.

Ten minutes after Yasu left her in the alley, one of Kyoya's men found Masami lying unconscious. Calling for an ambulance, he also called his boss and informed him that he found the girl, but it appeared Yasu had gotten to her first. Explaining the situation to Kyoya, he hung up the phone and helped get the girl into the ambulance when it arrived. He was now her personal security detail until they had answers.

Kyoya got off of the phone and slammed both fists down on the desk in the van, "That bastard got away again! How the hell did this happen?"

Hunny heard him, but he was convinced that he couldn't have heard him right, "What was that Kyo-Chan?"

Looking up at the other men in the van with him, he repeated what he had been told, "The girl was able to slip away from both mine and Kasanoda's men by giving them the slip and getting rid of the bag with the tracking device in it. One of my men just found her, but she was bleeding from a head wound and everything was gone. It looks like Yasu got to her before we could. She is being taken to one of the Ootori hospitals and I am having that officer stay with her until we have some answers. Let's just hope she wakes up."

"It was like he knew we were watching," Mori shared his thoughts.

"It appears that way; which means he had to have been watching us or he was tipped off. I know my men are sound. What about your men Kasanoda?" Kyoya inquired. He wasn't really trying to offend, but if there was a leak, it did not come from his camp.

"My men are good too. He had to have been watching. He knows how all of you are with her and he probably assumed that you would have the resources to tap into the Yakuza for help," Kasanoda scowled not happy about the fact that the threat still lingered.

"What are we going to do now?" Hunny asked concerned for Haruhi and how she is going to take this news.

"We need to know what that woman knows. I am going to head over to the hospital now and see what is going on there. We can regroup either later tonight or tomorrow," Kyoya proclaimed.

Mori spoke up, "I will come with you. Mitsukuni, you go to Haruhi. She is going to need you right now."

Nodding, Hunny agreed, "Ok, call me if you find out any news. Thank you Kyo-Chan, Kasanoda-Chan for everything you did today. I will talk to you all later." He felt tired and defeated. How was he supposed to protect Haruhi from Yasu, if he kept giving them the slip? Calling his car, he exited the van a few minutes later when it arrived and made his way back to the hotel. He didn't want to tell Haruhi the bad news, but he knew he couldn't hide it from her either.

"What didn't you tell him?" Mori questioned staring intently at the Shadow King.

Kyoya hid his surprise and ran a hand through his hair, "The officer said she lost a lot of blood and it looked like she was hit with a gun. Her wallet and everything is missing, so Yasu has access to whatever she had in her purse. I am not sure if that was money or credit cards or whatever, but he has it all now. It also means that he could be hiding out in her apartment or have a car now and we don't know where to look. In other words, he may have access to resources that he didn't have before."

Mori absorbed everything and nodded, "Then we keep looking and we stay on guard at all times."

"I will continue to have my men look for him and pass the word out to the other syndicates. If he tries to contact the Yakuza or anyone affiliated with them again, we should hear something. I will inform you immediately," Kasanoda stated.

"Thank you. You are a good friend to all of us," Mori said placing a hand on the younger man's shoulder. Returning his gaze to Kyoya, he asked, "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, let's get to the hospital and find out how bad it really is," Kyoya answered and led the way out of the van getting into the car that was waiting for him and Mori. This was not how today was supposed to turn out.

Walking into the hotel room, Hunny took a deep breath and called out, "Hey everyone!"

Haruhi, who had been watching the TV and wondering what was happening, jumped up and glomped her boyfriend, "Are you ok? What happened? Did anyone get hurt? Was Yasu caught?"

Wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight, he needed to just feel her in his arms for a moment before he broke the bad news.

"What's wrong?" Haruhi softly inquired when Hunny didn't say anything.

Hunny let out a shaky breath, "We didn't get him. We had everything set, but he sent in a woman to do the pickup for him. Then she threw away the bag and gave our men the slip. They found her in an alley with a head injury. She was unconscious. Everything was missing and we think Yasu got to her before we could."

Tightening her arms around Hunny, Haruhi could feel the tears starting to burn her eyes. Yasu had to be stopped before he hurt someone else, "Is she going to be alright?"

"I don't know Haruhi, I just don't know. Kyo-Chan and Takashi are going to the hospital to check on her," he answered her.

Satoshi and Bethany had been listening to the conversation and exchanged concerned glances. Neither one of them knew what to do to help, but they would offer their support. They just hoped that the lunatic was caught soon.

Standing up, Satoshi knew that Hunny and Haruhi needed some time alone, "We are going to go ahead and go. If you need us, call us."

Without letting Haruhi go, Hunny nodded, "Thank you Satoshi, Beth-Chan."

When the door clicked shut, Haruhi asked, "What are we going to do now?"

"We are going to hopefully get some answers from that woman he used, and then I don't know. We just need to be extra careful right now. Okay?"

"Okay. I just don't want anyone else to get hurt."

"I know Haruhi, I know," he whispered as he kissed the top of her head. After a few more minutes of standing there he pulled back and saw that she looked like she was about to collapse. Sweeping her up in his arms, he carried her to the bedroom and laid her down. He was going to get her some water, but when he moved away from the bed, she protested and he wound up lying down with her instead. Wrapping his arms around her once again, he rubbed her back and they both laid there in silence too caught up in their own thoughts at the moment.

Kyoya and Mori arrived at the hospital and inquired about the girl. It wasn't too hard to obtain the information since it was an Ootori hospital, but since she was still undergoing tests and an examination, there weren't a lot of answers. The bright spot in the otherwise dreary day, Kyoya's eldest brother Yuuichi was the doctor assigned to the case.

"Yuuichi, how bad is it?" Kyoya asked his brother when he saw him exit the girl's room.

"Do you know her?" Yuuichi inquired.

Shaking his head, Kyoya explained, "No, I had her brought here though. She was the substitute for the drop this morning and it appears our perpetrator got to her first. I think this is Yasu's handiwork." He had been uncertain about filling his family in on what was happening, but decided with the escalating security issues, it was best they were informed about what was going on.

The eldest son sighed, "I am not going to lie to you; it isn't good. He hit her hard enough to crack the skull, but luckily it doesn't look like anything broke off. She does have a severe concussion and right now she is still unconscious. You know how bad that can be with a concussion. If and when she wakes up, I am not sure how much help she will be to you. So far there is no swelling in her brain and we are not seeing any bleeding… that is the good news. Being young is a benefit for her, but that doesn't always mean she will pull through in a case like this. Was anyone else hurt?"

"No, she was the only one," Kyoya responded.

"Well that is good. I am waiting for a couple more test results, but right now we are on hold. She is stable, but critical."

"Thank you. I really do appreciate your help," Kyoya stated as he looked towards the closed door of the patient room where the stranger was lying.

Nodding, Yuuichi spoke softly, "I am having her transferred up to a room and will monitor her there. I assume the guard will be staying with her."

"Yes, I want her under guard until she wakes up and we have some answers. She may even need some sort of protection after that. We will see," Kyoya said.

"Do you know how long it might be before she wakes up?" Mori inquired.

Shaking his head, Yuuichi looked at the tall man standing next to his brother, "None at all. When it comes to head injuries, there is just no real way to tell. I'm sorry. I have to go see to a few more patients and sign the transfer orders to get her into a room. As soon as I know something, you will know."

"Thank you," Kyoya and Mori said together and then walked into the patient room to begin the long wait for answers.

Everyone knew that they were playing a waiting game. There was no guarantee that the woman could or would give them answers. Who knew what kind of lies Yasu told her, but they had to try because she could hold the key to finally getting Yasu in custody and locked up for life. As Kyoya and Mori looked at her still body lying in the bed, they couldn't understand how someone so young and pretty could have fallen into a trap set by a maniac like Yasu. It just didn't make any sense to them, but then again... he had been able to get his hooks into Haruhi and she was not as gullible as some. She may be dense, but not gullible.

After the stranger was transferred, Kyoya and Mori continued to stand vigilant by her bed hoping for any sign of life. The guard that found her was in the room and two more were posted outside of the door. Kyoya was not going to take any chances with her.

Seconds turned into minutes. Minutes turned into hours, and then finally after about ten hours of waiting, there was some movement. Both men shot up to her bedside and watched as she struggled to wake up. Kyoya sent a text to his brother to let him know that the patient was waking up.

Masami was trying to open her eyes, but it hurt so much. The pain in her head was throbbing; she just wanted to dive back into the oblivion that had claimed her earlier. Why couldn't she have the infinite blackness again? Moaning, she finally felt her eyes flutter open and gasped when she saw two strange men above her. She closed her eyes again, the pain was agony and she wanted it to all end: the pain in her head and the pain in her heart. She needed the nothingness again. Tears spilling out of her eyes, she heard the two men whispering above her, but it sounded like someone was using an air horn in her ear and it sent pricks of pain to her head. She needed, no desired silence and the void.