Rosenkreuz… sweet Rosenkreuz

Chapter 50: Crime and Punishment

AN: in reading this over… I'm realizing it might be difficult to tell the difference between Schu/Bren's words and his thoughts (privately I think sometimes HE forgets what is aloud and what isn't).  So I'm putting his thoughts into italics in this chapter.

Step one had been accomplished… now to drive a permanent wedge between the lovebirds.  Just as he expected, the 'princess' was walking that permed rat of hers, otherwise known as Mimi, a rather snippy little poodle.  He pulled up next to her and lowered the window.  "That's a cute dog… Hey…"  She looked at him, and started to back away; he just had that effect on some people.  Or it could be that she'd seen him kidnap her date the other night.

"There's nothing to be afraid of.  I'm your father's bodyguard."  He poured on the charm.

"Then why did you take Omi-kun away?"

Sure… she WOULD have to ask that.  "Well, that's a little complicated."  Yeah… there's an understatement.  "But I have some big news about that Omi you're so crazy about."

"About Omi-kun?"

Hook. 

"You see, Omi's real name is Takatori Mamoru.  He's the third son of Reiji, your father."  Well, not really but that's what we want you to think.  Ah… the little princess is shocked.  "That's right; you and Omi are brother and sister."  What is this?… Star Wars?  "It's hard for me too… that I have to tell you this…"  Well not really, it's endlessly entertaining.  "But it would be a lot harder to take if I waited until you two fell in love."  Eeewww… teenagers…

"No… you're lying!"

Well… yeah, but…  "And why would I do that?  If you don't believe me, why don't you ask someone?" 

Line.

"You just thought of your mother, didn't you?  That's the right answer."

"How?"

Mundanes… so tedious sometimes.  "Your mother will probably say she doesn't know.  Then tell her you'll ask your Daddy.  You'll get your answer." 

Sinker. 

He drove away, watching her in the rear-view mirror. [1]  She would ask… she had to know.  And her mother would answer… and then this annoying love-affair would be over with.  But… this was also the perfect opportunity to set up Bombay… maybe he could force a wedge in between the members of Weiß too.  He had just the idea…

**

"Oh come on, Nagi-kins… just a little computer manipulation of those pictures, and then send them to the flowerboys…"

"You want me to hack their system."

"Well… yes."

"Do you have any idea how difficult that is?"

"Do you want me to tell Braddy that you've been sneaking out to see Tot?"  The boy didn't respond, just snatched the pictures out of his hand.  Bren laughed.  He didn't think Nagi truly loved the bunny-girl; he was just suffering his first crush.  It wasn't like he had many opportunities to be around people his age, that annoyingly preppy, extremely expensive school didn't count.  Nagi spent no more time there than he had to and was bored in his classes besides.  He watched the boy work his electronic magic on first the photos… then the kitten's system. 

Finally he sat back with an aggrieved sigh.  "It's done."

He leaned over the kid's shoulder, knowing how much that irritated him.  "Good job, Nagi!  Keep up the good work!"

"This isn't my style."

"Doesn't it feel great to control people's minds?  I'm just sharing it with you.  You should be thankful."  They really needed to get him out more.  The kid seriously needed some sun.  He heard Farf chuckle on the other side of the room.  Someone else who needed some sun.  Maybe if he had time he'd take them to one of the parks that weekend.  Nagi would bitch about it, but Farf would have fun playing with the bunnies.  The door opened and his highness himself graced them with his presence.

"Schuldich, what are you up to now?"

~My new favorite game, screwing over Weiß.~  Then aloud,  "Hey, Crawford, did you know that people's minds taste like honey?"

"Don't get caught up in the sweet taste and forget to watch out for the bees."  ~Take Farfarello if you are going to play with them.~

"You're no fun at all."  ~Fine…~

**

He found it amusing.  He was following the princess… who was following her Omi-kun…  She didn't try to talk to him though, which meant what the redhead had told her, combined with what she'd heard from her mother, had an impact on her.  Damn he loved being right.  Now for the real clincher… "You shouldn't get involved with him anymore."

"But I can't leave him like this!"

How nauseatingly junior high of her… "I have no choice.  I didn't want to tell you this, but… that man, he's a murderer."  So am I, and you are a royal pain in the…

"What?!"

"I took him away at the hotel that night to save your father's life."  Okay… a little bit of a lie… but not much actually.  If the two of them had bumped into each other…

"NO… That's not true!"

He laughed, this was perfect… she was playing the part just the way he hoped.  "But your heart is honest.  Don't tell me you're not thinking, 'now that you mention it'."

"He just got caught up in an accident!  I believe in Omi!"

Yeah… but how did he know to be at THAT club to get caught?  "That's beautiful…"  GAG ME!!  "But love is a very fragile thing… I will show you what I mean…"  Shocked, she actually followed him.  Once he'd gotten her around the corner and out of sight, he used his power to knock her out.  "Finally… you never shut up.  Even in your head."  He used some bandages they kept in the cars in the event that Farf decided to try to carve himself, and tied the girl up.  That done, he pulled out her phone.  Sure enough… Omi-chan's number… on speed dial no less.

-Ouka-san!-

Damn he wished he could see the kid's face.  "Wrong!"

-You again!-

Me again.  "I need to tell you something.  Weiß is trying to assassinate your precious Ouka."  He improvised quickly.

-What?!-

"She found out about Weiß, it's pretty bad."  He looked at her in the rearview mirror and smirked.  "Well, I was the one who told her about it, but…"  It was a little too quiet on the other end.  "Are you there?  She's going to be killed at that park she likes to walk that rat in… You know the one, ne?  Near her school.  I'd be quick if I were you…"  He hung up and tossed the phone into the back seat.  Now to swing by the apartment and pick up Farf like his highness commanded.  They would have plenty of time to get to the park and set everything up…

**

He really didn't like this game Schuldich was playing.  It wasn't smart, and it certainly wasn't safe.  He suspected one of the mental tenants the telepath tended to pick up from time to time was influencing him again.  That was the major problem with telepaths… they had a tendency to 'absorb' bits and pieces of others' personas if they weren't careful… especially if they were in contact with the other's mind at the time of death.  And Schuldich had never been one to be cautious.  He frowned when the redhead vanished again with Farfarello.  This really wasn't going to be good.

"Nagi… bedtime."

"Brad…"

"Now."  Nagi looked like he was going to argue… but then thought the better of it and went to his room to sulk.  He was starting to become difficult.  Brad supposed it was simply how all teenagers were at some point, but now was not a good time to be testing his authority.  Things were moving… in a direction he didn't really like and didn't think was good for them.  It would have to be monitored.

The vision hit with a suddenness and clarity that he hadn't experienced for quite a while.  He watched as the scene unfolded. 

The girl, bound to the post… the approach of Weiß.  The appearance of their youngest member… the exchange of words… the swordsman with the violent temper trying to remove Schuldich's head with the post… the ensuing fight… the telepath running out of bullets and relying on his speed and mental tricks… the boy untying the girl and trying to get her to safety… Schuldich and Farfarello back to back, the redhead changing his clip, the Irishman also drawing his gun… the telepath firing at Weiß then running up the hill… Farfarello firing as well, and missing… the bullet passing harmlessly by the other assassins to hit…

He staggered and would have fallen if not for a quick hand on the edge of his desk.  They had committed the one crime Takatori was not going to forgive. 

Ouka was dead.

**

Crawford watched, seemingly impassive as Takatori disciplined the two.  First the man had done it with words, and when that wasn't enough, had grabbed a golf club from his bag in the corner and proceeded to beat the two.

"Why?  Why did you kill Ouka?  Ouka was… Ouka was more precious than anything, she was my cherished jewel!  You damn fools?"  Beyond speech the man resumed hitting them.

The American caught the club, just before the blow that would have cracked open Schuldich's thick skull.  Farfarello was largely indifferent, he didn't really feel the strikes or broken bones anyways.  The telepath was groaning on the floor.  Nagi was simply trying to stay out of the way and no doubt hoping he wouldn't be included in the abuse.  Yes… now it had reached the stage of abuse and that was something Crawford would not tolerate.  "Mr. Takatori, you are resenting the wrong people."  Hopefully he could defuse this situation before one of them was forced to do something permanent to the man, something that Esset would no doubt disapprove of at this stage.

"What?"

He smirked, knowing that it would distract the man from where Schuldich was painfully trying to drag himself out of the violence zone.  "We did not kill your precious daughter."

"I don't want to hear any excuses."

And he shouldn't have to give any.  He really should have kept the redhead on a shorter leash.  He shook his head.  "Everything is the fault of Weiß.  If you must hate, then hate Weiß."

Takatori stopped trying to take the club back from Crawford.  "Weiß you say?"

"They are strong."  Nagi commented, watching out of his eye as the German slid a little farther away.

The man let go of the club fully and turned away from them, obviously enraged.  "WEIß!"  The man started to make phone calls, ignoring them completely.  Crawford waived them out of the office, closing the door behind them.

"Thanks, Brad…"

"Schuldich… if I didn't know that it would kill you right now I'd hit you myself.  I warned you…"

"It was an accident…"

"I know that… but it shouldn't have taken place.  What possessed you to use the girl as bait?  You knew what would happen."

"I didn't think…"

"Obviously.  I'm taking you three home, then returning to try to salvage this situation with Takatori."

"I can drive…"

"Not in your condition… besides… I'm taking the car away from you."  He smiled as he walked away, envisioning the look on the German's face.

"But… but…"

He waited for the elevator, listening to the redhead plead for his car in between moaning about his injuries.  Nagi managed to make it complete with his comment as the elevator doors opened.  "Schu… you've been grounded…"

**

TBC…

[1] Incidentally, while rewatching this episode I noticed something… why the heck is the driver's seat of Schu's car on THAT side?  Talk about a pricey import… he's driving on the correct side of the road for Japan… but his car is set up for driving on the other side… no real point to this… just something I noticed and it struck me as odd.