"I don't think he'll talk," Sanosuke said as he walked with Kenshin
down the streets of Tokyo. "He might be an old guy, but he seemed pretty
serious. He might not even say anything to us at all."
Kenshin didn't respond. Instead, to Sanosuke's surprise, he was smiling as he took in the somewhat crowed city streets. Merchants were selling, and people were shopping. But despite being the norm, they were happy. For the longest time, Kenshin had fought to bring happiness to those who had none. Now, whenever he saw children playing and the elders smiling, Kenshin tried his best to soak it all in.
"Oi, Kenshin," repeated Sanosuke. "Why are you always so complacent whenever someone is trying to kill you?"
"I'm not," Kenshin said. "It's just that I can't help but smile when I see the world so many fought to bring about. Look at everyone. They're happy, Sano."
Sanosuke couldn't help but smile with his friend. Kenshin was right. Despite his dislike of the government, Sanosuke loved the freedom it gave to the people. A symbol of the government now rose before them. The Police Headquarters was enormous compared to the Japanese-style buildings of Tokyo. It was built with brick, and it's windowpanes and pillars with white marble. The building itself was four stories high, towering over the surrounding blocks.
The inside was no less magnificent. For being a police building, it was very ornately decorated. Still, it remained a police station. Standing behind a large wooden reception desk was the small officer who had been at the Kamiya dojo the night before. Kenshin recognized him immediately.
"Hello, sir," said Kenshin.
"Oh, hello, Himura-son," replied the small man. "I take it you're here to see the older man we're holding prisoner?"
"Yes," said Kenshin. "Is it alright if we talk to him?"
"I have orders to allow only you two access to the prisoner, so yes," said the officer.
"Orders?" Sanosuke asked. "From who?"
"That gentlemen," the officer sighed, "I'm afraid I cannot say."
Kenshin stood still for a moment. Someone in the police or the government, high-ranking no doubt, wanted them to interrogate the old man. But who would deem it necessary to keep anyone else from talking to him?
His questions had to wait. The small officer was now out from behind the desk and leading them through a pair of double-doors. They followed the man through several hallways before coming to a broad stairwell. Down they went, beneath ground level at least two floors.
"Since the contractors were given the freedom of starting from scratch," the officer told them, "they decided to build the cells underground. This is good, since it's a better deterrent of escape attempts. Oh, and don't worry. The bottom levels are ventilated through air ducks, so the air doesn't really get musty."
"Or rank I hope," Sanosuke added.
After traveling down another long hallway, lined with offices and guarded supply depots, they came to a barred door. An officer sitting behind a barred window noticed their approach and stood next to the door. With a nod from the small officer, the policeman opened the door to allow the three men inside.
They were now inside the holding area, where they could see cellblocks lining both sides of the walls. To the left and to the right were hallways leading to other detention areas.
"We have several different cell blocks in this station," the officer told them. "Fortunately, we only have to use one of them right now. Maybe the police influence on the street is actually doing some good."
"Or maybe the people have just gotten better," Kenshin said.
"It's just like you, Kenshin," Sanosuke noted. "You're always trying to see the best in people."
Kenshin smiled.
"If we don't put any hope in them," the longhaired man said, "then they'll never appear better to us."
As they started walking down the row, Sanosuke noticed a strange aroma in the air. He couldn't place his finger on it, but the smell was familiar. It left the air around them as they continued walking.
About half way down the row of cells, the small officer stopped. He pointed inside the dark cell. Inside, Kenshin could see the old man. Iron shackles chained his wrists and feet to the wall. Still in his ninja uniform, he sat quietly on a wooden bench, staring back at them with determined eyes. Sanosuke was right. This old man wasn't a fool. Kenshin turned to the officer.
"Can we have a few minutes alone with him?" Kenshin asked.
"Sure," said the officer as he unlocked the cell door. "Just yell when you're ready to leave."
"Thank you," said Kenshin.
The small samurai and the tall fighter entered the cell, waiting for the officer to lock the door behind them and walk back down the hall. When he was sure he was gone, Kenshin spoke.
"I know you won't speak to us," Kenshin said. "I don't know who you work for, but you obviously are loyal to him. I admire that." The man did nothing. "But your attack," the samurai continued, "was on my friend. If it was only on my, then I wouldn't care."
Almost immediately after saying the last word, Kenshin drew his sakaba and charged for the man. The old man closed his eyes tightly. A few seconds passed, and he was still breathing and felt no pain. The man opened his eyes, and then widened them. The tip of Kenshin's blade was less than an inch from the man's forehead.
"I don't like it when my friends are threatened," said Kenshin firmly. "You're not a foolish man, I'm certain of that. You knew Sanosuke was far stronger than you, but you still obeyed your orders and tried to attack him. I don't know why you did, maybe because of your fear of your employer. They may have persuaded you to join their cause, but it's not worth imprisonment, or death."
The man was now staring at Himura intently. Sanosuke didn't know what the new expression meant, but it was definitely a step in the right direction.
"Who is your employer?" Kenshin asked firmly.
The man didn't answer.
"I don't care if you're being loyal," Kenshin said as he sheated his sakaba. "I don't care if you're afraid. I will protect your family, with or without your help. It's up to you. You can live out the rest of your days in dishonorably in jail, or you can redeem yourself by just telling me who ordered the attacks."
The old man opened his mouth slightly. Apparently, his honor meant a lot to him. Kenshin saw the uncertainty in the man's eyes. Then, shocking the two fighters, the old man smiled and laughed.
"I guess I'm really popular," the man said. "Two visits today already."
"What?" Sanosuke asked. "But I thought we were the only ones aloud to talk to this guy?"
The old man snickered.
"Oh well," the he said. "You at least asked somewhat nicely. I tell you exactly what I told the other visitor. I don't know the their names, but there are three of them working together. They came to me two weeks ago, offered me a lot of money to fight your friend here. I knew I wouldn't stand a chance, but I needed the money. My debts were piling up. Look, I don't know what sort of agenda they have, but it involves killing you. They just wanted me to leave you a message…and no, I never saw their faces. They were wearing silver masks."
Kenshin and Sanosuke were both surprised. The old man was actually quite the chatterbox. Though he didn't know much, at least he confirmed what was going on.
"I see," Kenshin said in monotone. "Thank you for your time."
With that said, he turned and walked to the cell door. He shouted for the officer to come and let them out. Sanosuke stared at the old man a second longer, and then followed Kenshin out of the cell.
"Kenshin," said Sanosuke. "This still doesn't help us much."
"I know, Sano," replied Kenshin. "But at least now we know how many people we need to find, and that I'm their target."
"Doesn't this bother you at all?" Sanosuke asked.
Kenshin stopped.
"It bothers me," he said. "Especially since they included killing you to get to me. It makes me worry about what they might do next."
A moment of silence passed before Kenshin again started walking. Sanosuke was following behind him when he was hit by that familiar smell. What was it? Curiosity got the best of him and he began searching the immediate area. His traveling gaze locked onto a small object on the stone floor. He bent closer and picked it up.
A cigarette? Why would a cigarette smell familiar to him –
"Kenshin!" Sanosuke shouted.
The samurai stopped, but did not turn around.
"I know, Sano," said Kenshin. "He's alive."
Kenshin didn't respond. Instead, to Sanosuke's surprise, he was smiling as he took in the somewhat crowed city streets. Merchants were selling, and people were shopping. But despite being the norm, they were happy. For the longest time, Kenshin had fought to bring happiness to those who had none. Now, whenever he saw children playing and the elders smiling, Kenshin tried his best to soak it all in.
"Oi, Kenshin," repeated Sanosuke. "Why are you always so complacent whenever someone is trying to kill you?"
"I'm not," Kenshin said. "It's just that I can't help but smile when I see the world so many fought to bring about. Look at everyone. They're happy, Sano."
Sanosuke couldn't help but smile with his friend. Kenshin was right. Despite his dislike of the government, Sanosuke loved the freedom it gave to the people. A symbol of the government now rose before them. The Police Headquarters was enormous compared to the Japanese-style buildings of Tokyo. It was built with brick, and it's windowpanes and pillars with white marble. The building itself was four stories high, towering over the surrounding blocks.
The inside was no less magnificent. For being a police building, it was very ornately decorated. Still, it remained a police station. Standing behind a large wooden reception desk was the small officer who had been at the Kamiya dojo the night before. Kenshin recognized him immediately.
"Hello, sir," said Kenshin.
"Oh, hello, Himura-son," replied the small man. "I take it you're here to see the older man we're holding prisoner?"
"Yes," said Kenshin. "Is it alright if we talk to him?"
"I have orders to allow only you two access to the prisoner, so yes," said the officer.
"Orders?" Sanosuke asked. "From who?"
"That gentlemen," the officer sighed, "I'm afraid I cannot say."
Kenshin stood still for a moment. Someone in the police or the government, high-ranking no doubt, wanted them to interrogate the old man. But who would deem it necessary to keep anyone else from talking to him?
His questions had to wait. The small officer was now out from behind the desk and leading them through a pair of double-doors. They followed the man through several hallways before coming to a broad stairwell. Down they went, beneath ground level at least two floors.
"Since the contractors were given the freedom of starting from scratch," the officer told them, "they decided to build the cells underground. This is good, since it's a better deterrent of escape attempts. Oh, and don't worry. The bottom levels are ventilated through air ducks, so the air doesn't really get musty."
"Or rank I hope," Sanosuke added.
After traveling down another long hallway, lined with offices and guarded supply depots, they came to a barred door. An officer sitting behind a barred window noticed their approach and stood next to the door. With a nod from the small officer, the policeman opened the door to allow the three men inside.
They were now inside the holding area, where they could see cellblocks lining both sides of the walls. To the left and to the right were hallways leading to other detention areas.
"We have several different cell blocks in this station," the officer told them. "Fortunately, we only have to use one of them right now. Maybe the police influence on the street is actually doing some good."
"Or maybe the people have just gotten better," Kenshin said.
"It's just like you, Kenshin," Sanosuke noted. "You're always trying to see the best in people."
Kenshin smiled.
"If we don't put any hope in them," the longhaired man said, "then they'll never appear better to us."
As they started walking down the row, Sanosuke noticed a strange aroma in the air. He couldn't place his finger on it, but the smell was familiar. It left the air around them as they continued walking.
About half way down the row of cells, the small officer stopped. He pointed inside the dark cell. Inside, Kenshin could see the old man. Iron shackles chained his wrists and feet to the wall. Still in his ninja uniform, he sat quietly on a wooden bench, staring back at them with determined eyes. Sanosuke was right. This old man wasn't a fool. Kenshin turned to the officer.
"Can we have a few minutes alone with him?" Kenshin asked.
"Sure," said the officer as he unlocked the cell door. "Just yell when you're ready to leave."
"Thank you," said Kenshin.
The small samurai and the tall fighter entered the cell, waiting for the officer to lock the door behind them and walk back down the hall. When he was sure he was gone, Kenshin spoke.
"I know you won't speak to us," Kenshin said. "I don't know who you work for, but you obviously are loyal to him. I admire that." The man did nothing. "But your attack," the samurai continued, "was on my friend. If it was only on my, then I wouldn't care."
Almost immediately after saying the last word, Kenshin drew his sakaba and charged for the man. The old man closed his eyes tightly. A few seconds passed, and he was still breathing and felt no pain. The man opened his eyes, and then widened them. The tip of Kenshin's blade was less than an inch from the man's forehead.
"I don't like it when my friends are threatened," said Kenshin firmly. "You're not a foolish man, I'm certain of that. You knew Sanosuke was far stronger than you, but you still obeyed your orders and tried to attack him. I don't know why you did, maybe because of your fear of your employer. They may have persuaded you to join their cause, but it's not worth imprisonment, or death."
The man was now staring at Himura intently. Sanosuke didn't know what the new expression meant, but it was definitely a step in the right direction.
"Who is your employer?" Kenshin asked firmly.
The man didn't answer.
"I don't care if you're being loyal," Kenshin said as he sheated his sakaba. "I don't care if you're afraid. I will protect your family, with or without your help. It's up to you. You can live out the rest of your days in dishonorably in jail, or you can redeem yourself by just telling me who ordered the attacks."
The old man opened his mouth slightly. Apparently, his honor meant a lot to him. Kenshin saw the uncertainty in the man's eyes. Then, shocking the two fighters, the old man smiled and laughed.
"I guess I'm really popular," the man said. "Two visits today already."
"What?" Sanosuke asked. "But I thought we were the only ones aloud to talk to this guy?"
The old man snickered.
"Oh well," the he said. "You at least asked somewhat nicely. I tell you exactly what I told the other visitor. I don't know the their names, but there are three of them working together. They came to me two weeks ago, offered me a lot of money to fight your friend here. I knew I wouldn't stand a chance, but I needed the money. My debts were piling up. Look, I don't know what sort of agenda they have, but it involves killing you. They just wanted me to leave you a message…and no, I never saw their faces. They were wearing silver masks."
Kenshin and Sanosuke were both surprised. The old man was actually quite the chatterbox. Though he didn't know much, at least he confirmed what was going on.
"I see," Kenshin said in monotone. "Thank you for your time."
With that said, he turned and walked to the cell door. He shouted for the officer to come and let them out. Sanosuke stared at the old man a second longer, and then followed Kenshin out of the cell.
"Kenshin," said Sanosuke. "This still doesn't help us much."
"I know, Sano," replied Kenshin. "But at least now we know how many people we need to find, and that I'm their target."
"Doesn't this bother you at all?" Sanosuke asked.
Kenshin stopped.
"It bothers me," he said. "Especially since they included killing you to get to me. It makes me worry about what they might do next."
A moment of silence passed before Kenshin again started walking. Sanosuke was following behind him when he was hit by that familiar smell. What was it? Curiosity got the best of him and he began searching the immediate area. His traveling gaze locked onto a small object on the stone floor. He bent closer and picked it up.
A cigarette? Why would a cigarette smell familiar to him –
"Kenshin!" Sanosuke shouted.
The samurai stopped, but did not turn around.
"I know, Sano," said Kenshin. "He's alive."