Chapter 11

You never know what you had until you lost it. Part 2

Kusakabe got briefed on the situation when they had come back from the other way, revealing a hidden way from Namimori to the clearing area. He looked at the normally happy go lucky jock who didn't speak a peep since they met at the forest entrance at the crack of dawn, and turned to look at the prefect who didn't seem as intimidating as he usually carried himself. It didn't feel appropriate to say anything at the moment.

But he couldn't help himself when Yamamoto went back to his household and they were the two in the mansion.

"Hibari-san...

I'm very sorry. I don't expect you to forgive me but-"

The prefect glared at him, but he continued on,

"If I didn't stop you from passing the Hibari family's armband to him, we could have tracked him when he reached a forbidden place-"

"I agree with your earlier decision keep him uninvolved with the Hibari family business."

"But Kyo-san! He would have been targetted, but at least, he wouldn't have to have died there-"

"Enough.

… It's already over."

It was true. There was nothing they could do, and that was where it hurt the most. Despite being from the Hibari family which was renown for their intelligence service and venerated for their strength, the two were powerless and had lost without even being given the chance to grieve.

"... What do we do now, Kyo-san?"

"I will eliminate the Mafia from Namimori. They have broken our trust and taken something that was mine."

It was a simple declaration stating something absurd.

"It's time we show them how brittle their fangs are." his eyes held a vow in them, as they burned for justice.

The week vacation ended and he had to go back to the headquarters to officially meet their direct partners. This month didn't seem to hold any fortune for Hibari Kyoya it seemed as one of his partner which he'd be meeting next was an upcoming Mafia famiglia head and he seemed to have an unfavorable opinion on them based on experiences.

So he entered the room whose aesthetics were remodeled according to the partner to a pure white which Kusakabe had no problem giving the stink eye too muttering a "It feels too pure for their tastes."

There was a white-haired man with a purple tattoo near his eye as he smiled a Cheshire grin at them, making Hibari hostile and his assistant wary.

"I'm called Byakuran Gesso. You've probably read that from the file, but a personal introduction would make our interactions much smoother."

"Hibari Kyoya"

"So then, Hibari-kun, it's nice to meet you. With that glare of yours, it makes me feel like you're judging my very soul for being what I am. Makes me wonder what kind of experience you've got to fix your impression like that~"

The prefect was mildly shocked to have been read like that. People usually took a lot of time to figure out his general moods, that is, a few selected people. Most of them behaved as mild as the herbivores they were and got scared the moment they realized they were out of their league

"We've had a long relationship and we'll be having a longer relationship. So it'll be better if we both cooperate. After all we both have common interests and it'll help me manage my... business as it'd help you manage yours"

"That cooperation will depend on what business you want on our territory"

"So cold~ What would happen if we don't exactly see... eye to eye?"

"I'll bite you to death"

"I'll keep it in mind. I personally think we might have more in common. Ooh, in fact, how bout I show you how much in common we have~" he reached for his pocket as Hibari gripped the tonfas hidden in his clothes.

He spread a manila folder on the table and opened a tagged page. It had photos which were smudged by constant touch and exposure and its contents shocked Hibari speechless.

"The lad got his hands on the main servers of the famiglia and started broadcasting the sensitive data. Even though the goal was obviously to sabotage, he should have done it smartly.

This kind of recklessly straightforward broadcasting data from the source without intermediaries will get him assassinated from their allies. It's too unnatural to make them believe that the Estraneo famiglia betrayed them."

The mafia boss observed the other as flints of relief then suspicion flashed in his eyes,

"Why are you bringing this up here? The Hibaris didn't have any mafia dealings with you lot."

"Aww, playing dumb after all that? We both know that Sawada Tsunayoshi is one of your treasures."

"I protect what's mine. That includes everything with Namimori."

"So you won't admit it, huh? Well, that's fine. I bet you want to know what happens to Namimori boy A. The situation was ideal for us, since we're rivals of Estraneo for mafia intelligence and technology.

So we... helped the poor lad a little with his little rebellion. The result of that was, the release of the prisoners, their data scrambled and corrupt across all clients and the destruction of one Estraneo famiglia."

"Why did you keep him alive?"

Byakuran gave a fox's smile as they both knew that if the Gesso had the data they could have gotten rid of the prisoners, the messenger and the data and since Hibari thought that Tsuna was dead already, the Gesso wouldn't be in danger of breaking ties.

"To play the negotiation pawn, of course~"

Instantly, Hibari was in attack mode. They were both in a precarious situation. If Byakuran used the safety of Tsuna as a bargaining chip to gain favors or command, Hibari would off him. Then the Gesso members would try gun him down and Hibari would try destroying them all, most probably with the family's forces in tow. It'd be mutual destruction.

But then he noticed something peculiar in the mafia boss's movement, so he resumed his usual posture of dominance.

Byakuran looked confused and asked the other.

"Ara? So it didn't matter if Namimori boy A dies? Aww... So it doesn't matter if I send the command to kill him off? He's a liability in our side, you know~"

"You won't be pressing it either way."

He was so sure of himself, it made the mafia boss feel pissed off enough to spite him... but then, it was true. If there was someone who wouldn't be able to hurt the lad, it'd be him and 7 others.

"... Hmph. You won that round, Hibari-kun. But, in the end, I gave you valuable information but you won't help me out in return at all?"

Seeing the indifference on the prefect's face, Byakuran prodded.

"You'll make senpai cry~ Hibari-kun, you make a better mafia than I'd ever be~"

Like clockwork, it ticked him off and the other latched on to it and said,

"Oh? You won't ever be one? Then do me a favor. An eye for an eye after all."

"Hn."

"Then let's have a bet. If I lose, I'll help Tsunayoshi-kun stay off the list of the successor of the Vongola. Now don't give me that look. We both know that if that boy hadn't known about his lineage, then he'd know it now. And we also very well know that being the next head for that would ruin him.

But If I win, whatever deal I make with him, you won't block the deal or affect it in any way."

"What deal?"

"What's the matter Hibari-kun? Scared you'll use?"

"...Depending on the deal, I'll choose whether I accept or deny."

"Hmm? You must be mistaken. Since when were you in control?"

"Keep this in mind, the dead man tells no tale. The aesthetics in this room are tailored to your desires, but the window is one-sided and the room is a faraday's cage and noise proof. You are a cornered mouse and your famiglia isn't influential enough to survive an attack now from our side."

"So scary~ But then, you have no ways to stop the second leakage of the prisoners, the one your little treasure tried his best to keep safe and you've got the underworld fast on his heels.

You can't handle Vongola yet. So it'll be a losing battle.

And mind you, I have the world's best technicians in our famiglia while you have only Giannini who's competent enough. Good luck persuading the Arcobaleno."

Hibari looked at him sharply when it seemed like he wavered in his last statement. But he figured it was fear making his voice tremble.

"Also, I was planning on throwing a freebie by reporting the status of the underworld and letting you have a squad or two to infiltrate the community... But you said you plan on killing me? Such a shame~ Such a shame, indeed."

Hibari sighed and replied,

"What's the bet?"

"I'll give a card to Tsunayoshi-kun. He'll have to keep it with him until you frisk him and get it back at Namimori. Don't worry, I'll make it easy by threatening him to keep it until he lands. If he's not excruciatingly stupid, he'd keep the card with him no matter what. Our men will carefully hand him back to you guys."

That was the thing with Sawada Tsunayoshi, the enigma. He could be extremely cunning, but he had gotten the title Dame-Tsuna somehow, right? It hinted at the possibility that the bet could fail...

"We'll provide the card an a choker to the guards. It will be electronic and will beep if it's far away from the holder. It'll beep 25 times before the choker will explode."

"So harsh~"

"It's to ensure that you don't forcibly remove the card from him or give him false instructions in between the transition. It'll also stop beeping if you stop him to retrieve the card if he dropped somewhere.

I will give you a week to retrieve it if he dropped it by himself, but he stays at a place and his location is transmitted to us. The bet is canceled if a third party gets involved, by say pickpocketing.

If he breaks it, he gets a new one and the journey is restarted to make things fair. If you guys break it, the deal's canceled. If he makes you guys or a third party break it, it's the same as him breaking it.

If all the escorts get killed in transport, we restart the bet from the starting location. If he dies, I'll bite you all to death.

You can choose to bring him alone or bring him with other people, just keep this in mind, I'll bite them to death if the other people are a threat to Namimori.

Drug him, brainwash him, damage him physically, mentally or psychologically, I'll destroy the Gesso famiglia, regardless of benefits or demerits.

The escorts of your famiglia will not know anything about his true identity, neither will his information be sold or blasphemed and spread from your side."

"Hmm. You truly care about this child, don't you? I'll protect the rules, don't worry about the bet from my side. But... the Tsunayoshi-kun I've known won't ever betray me."

"You know nothing about him."

"Whatever floats your boat.

Well then, shall we shake hands on it?"

"...Hn"

"Well then, Let the games begin."

Unable to take the smug smile the mafia boss kept on his face, the prefect turned swiftly and exited the room, hearing the parting words from the smiling marshmallow,

"It's been a pleasure doing business with you~"

He muttered in disgust-

"What an unpleasant guy."