Sorry Chapter 2 took so long. I'm actually writing this story chapter by chapter. Like I have an idea already of how this story is going to flow, but I just have to write it down before I forget everything. Anyway,

Here's your warning: Part of Episode 13, and the ending of Episode 43 leading into Episode 44 are briefly mentioned in this chapter. I suggest watching them first before reading this. If you have, then by all means...read away :)

DISCLAIMER: I don't work for Toei or own the company. I just wrote the story

FRIEND OR FOE?

The Next Day...

Noel was sitting in the GSPO office reading the newspaper, waiting for the others to arrive. For once, he was actually earlier than everyone else. One would say that was suspicious, but in actuality, he was just trying to read up on any stories in the paper that seemed to have a hint of a Gangler. He grabbed the warm mug that was sitting on the table and took a long drink before getting back to his task.

'Let's see' He thought to himself. 'Car accidents? Nope. Burning building? Almost. Bank robbery? No dice. Wild bar fights? Try again. Red card- Huh?'

Noel looked up to see Tsukasa standing over him with a frown on her face.

"Very funny." She said pushing the card into his paper.

"I'm sure it would be it you would tell me the punch line." He said picking up the card. "Hmm 'Here's your warning…' Oh I get it." He turned to her with a smile. "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Thank you for this." He motioned toward the card.

Tsukasa immediately took it back from him. "This isn't funny!" She snapped. "How did you get into my room? And why did you leave me this?"

Realization finally hit him. "Wait, you think I sent this to you?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying!"

He inhaled deeply. "Well then, I will be very happy to disappoint you, because I didn't send that."

"Oh come on, be serious-"

"I am being…" Noel said sincerely, touching his heart. "Why would I ever send one of these to you? Not to mention," He held the card between his index and middle finger. "When have you ever seen me send one of these before? Maybe once to the Lupinrangers, but that's it."

He did have a point there. "But if it wasn't you, then which one of the Lupinrangers did it?"

"I'm not sure." He said honestly. "But I don't think it was any of them either."

"But then who?" She asked in distress. "It has to be one of you four. You're the only ones who would are actually capable of something like this."

Tsukasa sat down across from him on the opposite futon. Normally she could keep her composure. But today, Noel noted, the whole "card thing" seemed to be throwing her off. She ran a hand through her hair before resting her cheek on her knuckles.

Noel reached out and put his hand over hers. "I will go and talk to them, and see if it really was any of them who sent this to you."

She looked up at him. "And if it was one of them?"

"Then I will handle it." He promised. "But I really don't think it was one of them. They're after the Lupin Collection, not a person's prized possessions." He looked down at the table before speaking again. "You don't…have a Collection piece…do you?"

She looked at him incredulously. "No of course not." She said softly. "As valuable as they may be, they're also dangerous to have around without proper security."

"Fair enough." Noel smiled, giving her hand an assuring squeeze. "Now," He stood up and stretched. "Would you like to go to Jurer with me?"

Tsukasa shot him a confused look. "We just got in, Keiichiro and Sakuya will be here any minute. Why would you want to go now?"

"Well for one: my coffee is cold." He said showcasing his mug with his palm. "And two: I'm not a fan of microwaved coffee."

Again, she looked at him incredulously. "Seriously?" He just stood there with a grin on his face. Tsukasa looked down at her watch. "I have a meeting in an hour."

"We shall be back by then." He said holding out his hand to her. "So, do I take that a yes?"

At said Bistrot Jurer, Kairi began wiping down the tables from dust that may have collected overnight. Touma was checking the burners to make sure they were working properly.

"So," Umika said bringing in a new package of napkins to refill. "I don't want any slacking off today, Kairi." She said staring at him.

"Yeah yeah." He said paying her no mind.

"And no grouchy faces either." She added.

"I didn't have a grouchy face yesterday!" He defended.

"I was talking to Touma."

Touma didn't say anything; he just continued inspecting the rest of the kitchen.

"And what about you? Stop giving customers special treatment." He scolded.

"I don't give customers special treatment."

"What about those business men who came in during the lunch hour?" Touma pointed out.

"I don't give all customers special treatment."

"Heh, I bet you don't." Kairi said wiping the counter down. "Sakuya might die in his sleep if he found out you were flirting with those guys yesterday."

"I was not flirting!" She put her hands on her hips. "I was…hoping they would have spent a little more with good customer service."

"Yeah, all that effort and they didn't even order a darn thing." He threw his rag into a nearby hamper. "Sheesh."

The three of them heard the bell above the door chime.

"Ah, sumimasen, we're actually not op-"

"Bonjour, and good morning." Noel greeted making his grand entrance. Tsukasa shuffled in behind him.

"N-Noel-san." Umika said surprised. "What are you doing here so early?"

"I'm here for my morning cup of coffee." He answered. "And what better place to get one than here?"

"Yeah, even better since we're haven't opened yet and you're the only one here." Kairi said sarcastically leaning over the short wall by the kitchen.

"Oui, I knew you would understand." He said cheekily.

He sat himself down at one of the tables, with Tsukasa sitting across from him.

Umika came back with his coffee and turned to Tsukasa. "Can I get you anything Tsukasa-san?"

Tsukasa had her elbow on the table, her head resting in her palm. Her mind had wandered so far that she didn't hear a word anyone was saying until Umika waved a hand in front of her face.

"Yoo hoo, earth to Tsukasa-san." She tried again.

"Huh? Oh gomenasai Umika-chan. I'm fine thank you." She said trying to play if off.

"Sure you're fine." She said touching her shoulder. "What's going on?"

Tsukasa interlocked her fingers together, rubbing her thumbs back and forth. "It's just…" The other two Lupinrangers looked over in her direction. "Nothing really. Just some…stuff going on, that's all." She replied trying to smile.

"Some stuff?" Umika's eyes became wide. "Wait a minute! Is it a man?!" She asked getting in her face.

Kairi's ears perked up at that.

"Huh? No, it's not like that." She waved it off. "Well, I mean I guess you could say it is, sort of. But at the same time…it isn't…" She tried to explain.

Two of the bistrot's residents looked at her with blank expressions. Kairi stared at her somewhat attentively.

Tsukasa looked over at the clock on the wall. "Oh no, my meeting!" She got up abruptly and bowed. "I'm so sorry, I have to go!" She quickly sprinted out the door, leaving a room full of confused thieves.

For a moment they watched the door, seeing if anything else was about to happen.

"Well that was…interesting…." Umika said tilting her head to the side.

"Yeah, very un-Tsukasa-like." Kairi grabbed the chair next to Noel and spun it around. He sat down and leaned his arms on the back rest. "So you wanna fill us in on what's really going on?"

Noel reached into his breast pocket and pulled out the card. "Look familiar?" He handed the card to Kairi who took a closer look at it. The other two looked over his shoulder doing the same.

Umika looked up at him. "It looks just like the one we give to the Ganglers."

"Yes, good to know." Noel said blowing into his drink. "But what I mean is did any of you send that to Tsukasa last night?"

"What? No. Why do you think we would send this to Tsukasa-san?" Kairi asked.

"I don't, but Tsukasa thinks one of you did."

"Impossible. We only send it to the Ganglers for their Collection pieces." Umika said.

"And that's exactly what I told her." He began to drink his coffee.

"Do you know if she has a collection piece?" Touma asked.

"I did ask her, but she said she didn't have any. And to be honest, I believe her."

"Is this why she was acting so strange this morning?" Umika inquired.

"Oui, that's exactly why."

Touma made a noise of disbelief. "I'm surprised that she would get so worked up over one card." He plucked it from Kairi's hand. "She fights Ganglers, and us." He added. "But one little note like this and she freaks out."

Umika kept to herself about the whole thing with Tsukasa and haunted houses.

"I don't think that's why she freaked out." He put down his drink. "Being on the front lines, so to speak, is one thing. When you're in the one place where you feel safest, and it's invaded by someone willing to cause harm, and take what you love most…then…that's when it becomes an issue…"

The Lupinrangers looked at each other, then back at Noel. They knew he was speaking from experience.

"That's true…" Kairi agreed crossing his arms.

Noel looked to the three of them. "Will you help me figure out who's responsible for this?"

Kairi turned with a raised eyebrow. "Did you really need to ask?"

Their X member laughed. "I guess not." He said getting up from the table.

"Yoosh, we'll find this impostor and make him pay for trying to impersonate a real Phantom Thief." Umika said determined. Touma nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, and to help Tsukasa-san too." Kairi added putting the chair back in its proper position. He handed the card back to Noel.

"We'll talk about this later." He stuffed it back into his pocket. "But for now…it looks like you guys are about to have a morning rush." He said peeking outside the window.

Author's Note: Well this one was a little longer, hopefully better too lol. I just realized that I had to bump this story's rating from K+ to T because it will get darker later on.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as my writing. I would love to know how I could be a better writer.