Chapter Fourteen: Threat From the Inside
Author's notes: Text between * * indicates conversation in a chat room.
Adrian led them out to a blue four-door car, and Julia hailed a taxi.
"I shouldn't be long, Adrian. Two hours at the most." she called.
He nodded. Schuldig climbed in, followed by Brad.
"Where exactly are we going?" Nagi asked as he sat in the passenger's seat.
"The apartment Julia and I share. It's in downtown, close to headquarters. Takatori likes us within five minutes of the office." Adrian answered.
"You two share an apartment?" Nagi asked innocently.
Adrian pulled the car into gear and merged into the traffic leaving the airport. "Hai."
/After an eight hour flight we have more sitting,/ Schuldig complained.
"You can move around the apartment as much as you like. It's fairly spacious." Adrian said with a grin. He tapped his head. "Welcome to the land of the gifted."
Schuldig put a shield up. He didn't like having others poke around, no matter how much he enjoyed poking into their minds.
Brad watched the city through the window of the car. It was like he remembered it. Big, full of people, and this time full of danger for them. This wasn't going to a walk in the park.
"Have you ever been here before?" Nagi asked.
"Me? Yes." Brad said absently.
"Did you like it?" the Japanese boy asked.
"Yes. It was a very pleasant place to be in."
Schuldig noticed the distracted sound in his friend's voice. /Ne, Brad?/
/Hai?/ The American responded.
/You with us?/
/Hai./
/You don't look like it./
/Gomen nasai./
/Daijoubu ka?/
/Daijoubu, arigato./
Schuldig shrugged and laid his head back against the seat. He'd figure out what was the matter with him later.
Brad continued to stare out the window. He was getting images again, but they were blurred. Four. Well, he already knew there would eventually be four of them. But they weren't black. Something else...
Schuldig noticed the blank look in the American's eyes. He frowned and waited for it to end.
Brad narrowed his eyes and pulled away from the visions. White. Weiß. They would be black versus white, Weiß versus Schwarz.
/Brad?/
/What?/
/What did you see?/
/White./
/What do you mean?/
/I don't know yet. I'll get back to you./
Schuldig nodded.
The car pulled up to an apartment and stopped.
"We're on the fourth floor." Adrian said. "If any of you are still tired, we have a two guest rooms, or we can order out if you're hungry. Julia and I aren't that good at cooking." He stepped out of the car.
Nagi stepped out and looked around. He didn't' like being here. The city made him uncomfortable.
Brad got out of the backseat and left the door open for Schuldig. He glanced at Nagi. "There's nothing here that's going to jump out and bite you, chibi. You're all right here." he said quietly.
Nagi twitched slightly at the name. "Don't you start it too."
Brad grinned slightly. "It's fitting, ne?"
"No. It's not."
Schuldig grinned as he ruffled the young boy's hair. "Sure it is, kiddo. Don't take it so personally."
"We're going to be together for a while. You should get used to it." Brad added. He followed Adrian up to the building.
"There's something about this Adrian guy that makes me uneasy," Schuldig whispered to his American friend.
"You're paranoid." Brad murmured. "I don't see him lunging at us with any pointed objects, so I think you're okay."
"It's not that, I just don't like him for some reason."
"I'd keep it under your bandana, seeing as how our lives are in his partner's hands."
`"Are they together or what?" Schuldig asked, a little louder than he meant.
Adrian turned and looked at them. He grinned. "We're in a platonic relationship 95% of the time."
Schuldig blushed as he realized he'd been heard.
"Don't worry about it kid. Nobody really knows what kind of relationship we have. Even us." He ushered them into the apartment.
"Kind of like Jack and Amy, I guess," Schuldig whispered.
Brad patted him on the back. "Yeah."
Schuldig's eyes hardened once more and he pulled away.
Adrian vanished into the back of the apartment. "Make yourselves at home." he called. The Asian man sat at his computer in the back bedroom and connected it to Julia's computer. The German was dangerous.
*Heya. What's the news?* the words appeared across his screen.
*We're home safe. The German is making me uneasy. Have you talked to Takatori?* Adrian asked.
*Haven't had a chance. Why is Schu making you uneasy?*
*You should be able to tell, he's got anger and revenge radiating off of him. He's a time bomb, Julia.*
*And I think Crawford is keeping him under control,* came the answer.
*You'd better be right, Jule. He's a danger if he falls away from the American. Good luck with Takatori.*
*And good luck with the boys. I'm going to talk with him now. Ja ne.*
*Ja.* "You boys hungry?" he shouted, shutting off the computer.
He entered the room to see Schuldig sitting away from the others.
"So, anything you guys need or want?" Adrian asked calmly.
"Could I have some water?" Nagi asked quietly.
"Of course. Anything else?" Adrian asked, going into the kitchen.
Silence followed.
Schuldig sat curled into the sofa and didn't respond as Brad Crawford took a seat next to him.
"If you have anything of a stronger flavor I wouldn't mind." Brad said, picking lint off the cuff on his coat.
"Sure thing." Adrian said.
Schuldig laid his head against the sofa's back. /I'm still uncomfortable around him, and I'm not paranoid./
Brad shifted and pulled his coat off, draping it on the couch behind them. /What makes you uncomfortable? You sensing something about his character or what?/
/I can't explain it, I just don't like the guy.?/
/Ah./
Schuldig was silent then and he closed his eyes, sighing deeply.
/Daijoubu?/
/Nein. I don't' feel well. My head hurts./
/You can have my drink, then./
/I'd rather something stronger,/ the teen moaned.
Brad frowned. /I don't think they keep that around./
Schuldig chuckled. /Too bad./
Adrian came back and handed Nagi a water bottle and Brad a cooler. Brad opened it, took a sip and passed it to Schuldig. /It'll have to do./
The young teen took a sip and handed it back. /If I drank enough to do any good, I'd have a hangover./
Brad took another sip. /Thought you could hold your liquor./
/I can. It would just take a lot to dull this headache./
Brad handed the bottle back and simultaneously touched his mind to Schuldig's.
/What?/
/You may want to let me have the pain while you can, mein friend./
/No. There's no reason for you to deal with it./
/I won't be able to do this forever. Don't argue with me now./
/I.../ Schuldig trailed off as the voices flooded in too much. He slowly felt himself fade into a welcome darkness and pass out.
Brad cursed. "Stubborn idiot," he mumbled. He placed shields around their minds and leaned back in the couch. This job with Takatori better be worth it.
"What happened?" Adrian asked quietly, nearly forgotten by the American.
"He passed out. The voices." Brad murmured.
"He has weak shields?"
"It's not his fault."
"Takatori won't look at it that way."
Brad opened his blue eyes and placed a piercing gaze on the older man. "Then Takatori just won't know, will he?"
"He'll find out."
"It'll be too late then." Brad replied, closing his eyes again.
Schuldig's golden orbs fluttered open. /Brad?/
/Yeah?/
/Will he tell?/
/Not if he wants to live./
Author's notes: Oi vey. My apologies, everyone. I meant to update sooner. I started school Monday, and I've been sick since last Tuesday, so nothing went the way I planned. ^^;; At any rate, I'm back on the ball. Thanks for sticking with me! Enjoy.
Oh, and somebody asked how many chapters we had...I'm not entirely sure. ^^; Working on it. Thanks!
Author's notes: Text between * * indicates conversation in a chat room.
Adrian led them out to a blue four-door car, and Julia hailed a taxi.
"I shouldn't be long, Adrian. Two hours at the most." she called.
He nodded. Schuldig climbed in, followed by Brad.
"Where exactly are we going?" Nagi asked as he sat in the passenger's seat.
"The apartment Julia and I share. It's in downtown, close to headquarters. Takatori likes us within five minutes of the office." Adrian answered.
"You two share an apartment?" Nagi asked innocently.
Adrian pulled the car into gear and merged into the traffic leaving the airport. "Hai."
/After an eight hour flight we have more sitting,/ Schuldig complained.
"You can move around the apartment as much as you like. It's fairly spacious." Adrian said with a grin. He tapped his head. "Welcome to the land of the gifted."
Schuldig put a shield up. He didn't like having others poke around, no matter how much he enjoyed poking into their minds.
Brad watched the city through the window of the car. It was like he remembered it. Big, full of people, and this time full of danger for them. This wasn't going to a walk in the park.
"Have you ever been here before?" Nagi asked.
"Me? Yes." Brad said absently.
"Did you like it?" the Japanese boy asked.
"Yes. It was a very pleasant place to be in."
Schuldig noticed the distracted sound in his friend's voice. /Ne, Brad?/
/Hai?/ The American responded.
/You with us?/
/Hai./
/You don't look like it./
/Gomen nasai./
/Daijoubu ka?/
/Daijoubu, arigato./
Schuldig shrugged and laid his head back against the seat. He'd figure out what was the matter with him later.
Brad continued to stare out the window. He was getting images again, but they were blurred. Four. Well, he already knew there would eventually be four of them. But they weren't black. Something else...
Schuldig noticed the blank look in the American's eyes. He frowned and waited for it to end.
Brad narrowed his eyes and pulled away from the visions. White. Weiß. They would be black versus white, Weiß versus Schwarz.
/Brad?/
/What?/
/What did you see?/
/White./
/What do you mean?/
/I don't know yet. I'll get back to you./
Schuldig nodded.
The car pulled up to an apartment and stopped.
"We're on the fourth floor." Adrian said. "If any of you are still tired, we have a two guest rooms, or we can order out if you're hungry. Julia and I aren't that good at cooking." He stepped out of the car.
Nagi stepped out and looked around. He didn't' like being here. The city made him uncomfortable.
Brad got out of the backseat and left the door open for Schuldig. He glanced at Nagi. "There's nothing here that's going to jump out and bite you, chibi. You're all right here." he said quietly.
Nagi twitched slightly at the name. "Don't you start it too."
Brad grinned slightly. "It's fitting, ne?"
"No. It's not."
Schuldig grinned as he ruffled the young boy's hair. "Sure it is, kiddo. Don't take it so personally."
"We're going to be together for a while. You should get used to it." Brad added. He followed Adrian up to the building.
"There's something about this Adrian guy that makes me uneasy," Schuldig whispered to his American friend.
"You're paranoid." Brad murmured. "I don't see him lunging at us with any pointed objects, so I think you're okay."
"It's not that, I just don't like him for some reason."
"I'd keep it under your bandana, seeing as how our lives are in his partner's hands."
`"Are they together or what?" Schuldig asked, a little louder than he meant.
Adrian turned and looked at them. He grinned. "We're in a platonic relationship 95% of the time."
Schuldig blushed as he realized he'd been heard.
"Don't worry about it kid. Nobody really knows what kind of relationship we have. Even us." He ushered them into the apartment.
"Kind of like Jack and Amy, I guess," Schuldig whispered.
Brad patted him on the back. "Yeah."
Schuldig's eyes hardened once more and he pulled away.
Adrian vanished into the back of the apartment. "Make yourselves at home." he called. The Asian man sat at his computer in the back bedroom and connected it to Julia's computer. The German was dangerous.
*Heya. What's the news?* the words appeared across his screen.
*We're home safe. The German is making me uneasy. Have you talked to Takatori?* Adrian asked.
*Haven't had a chance. Why is Schu making you uneasy?*
*You should be able to tell, he's got anger and revenge radiating off of him. He's a time bomb, Julia.*
*And I think Crawford is keeping him under control,* came the answer.
*You'd better be right, Jule. He's a danger if he falls away from the American. Good luck with Takatori.*
*And good luck with the boys. I'm going to talk with him now. Ja ne.*
*Ja.* "You boys hungry?" he shouted, shutting off the computer.
He entered the room to see Schuldig sitting away from the others.
"So, anything you guys need or want?" Adrian asked calmly.
"Could I have some water?" Nagi asked quietly.
"Of course. Anything else?" Adrian asked, going into the kitchen.
Silence followed.
Schuldig sat curled into the sofa and didn't respond as Brad Crawford took a seat next to him.
"If you have anything of a stronger flavor I wouldn't mind." Brad said, picking lint off the cuff on his coat.
"Sure thing." Adrian said.
Schuldig laid his head against the sofa's back. /I'm still uncomfortable around him, and I'm not paranoid./
Brad shifted and pulled his coat off, draping it on the couch behind them. /What makes you uncomfortable? You sensing something about his character or what?/
/I can't explain it, I just don't like the guy.?/
/Ah./
Schuldig was silent then and he closed his eyes, sighing deeply.
/Daijoubu?/
/Nein. I don't' feel well. My head hurts./
/You can have my drink, then./
/I'd rather something stronger,/ the teen moaned.
Brad frowned. /I don't think they keep that around./
Schuldig chuckled. /Too bad./
Adrian came back and handed Nagi a water bottle and Brad a cooler. Brad opened it, took a sip and passed it to Schuldig. /It'll have to do./
The young teen took a sip and handed it back. /If I drank enough to do any good, I'd have a hangover./
Brad took another sip. /Thought you could hold your liquor./
/I can. It would just take a lot to dull this headache./
Brad handed the bottle back and simultaneously touched his mind to Schuldig's.
/What?/
/You may want to let me have the pain while you can, mein friend./
/No. There's no reason for you to deal with it./
/I won't be able to do this forever. Don't argue with me now./
/I.../ Schuldig trailed off as the voices flooded in too much. He slowly felt himself fade into a welcome darkness and pass out.
Brad cursed. "Stubborn idiot," he mumbled. He placed shields around their minds and leaned back in the couch. This job with Takatori better be worth it.
"What happened?" Adrian asked quietly, nearly forgotten by the American.
"He passed out. The voices." Brad murmured.
"He has weak shields?"
"It's not his fault."
"Takatori won't look at it that way."
Brad opened his blue eyes and placed a piercing gaze on the older man. "Then Takatori just won't know, will he?"
"He'll find out."
"It'll be too late then." Brad replied, closing his eyes again.
Schuldig's golden orbs fluttered open. /Brad?/
/Yeah?/
/Will he tell?/
/Not if he wants to live./
Author's notes: Oi vey. My apologies, everyone. I meant to update sooner. I started school Monday, and I've been sick since last Tuesday, so nothing went the way I planned. ^^;; At any rate, I'm back on the ball. Thanks for sticking with me! Enjoy.
Oh, and somebody asked how many chapters we had...I'm not entirely sure. ^^; Working on it. Thanks!