Disclaimer: I don't own Weiβ and Gravitation, I don't make money with this fanfiction, and I don't want to be sued.
Chapter V.C: Masquerade
Death was everywhere.
The man tried running away from it, but he couldn't. Not while this assassin watched him. The assassin had already killed all of his bodyguards, and was now after him.
Despite the streetlights, the streets were still dark, concealing those who hide in the shadows. He couldn't tell where his pursuer was. His assassin seemed to be everywhere. He had to reach the phone. He had to contact–
He never completed his thought. A shadow appeared out of the darkness, and in one swift motion, cut the man's head off. Blood gushed out of the neck, splattering the street with bright red blood.
The assassin licked the blood off the sword. A dark smile lit up its masked face. Another hunt was successful, and this time, the hunter brought down a bigger prey.
*******
Aya Fujimiya opened his eyes, disturbed from his sleep by something he couldn't put a finger on. He sat up, careful not to wake the girl sleeping peacefully beside him. He looked around, wondering what woke him. When he saw nothing amiss, he prepared to go to back to sleep.
Then the telephone rang.
Who could it be at this hour? Aya wondered with irritation. It was a mistake to put the telephone into the bedroom, but Patricia insisted on it when she moved in with him. At the thought of his girlfriend, he turned to see Patricia picking up the cordless phone on top of the bedside table. "Hallo," she said in a sleepy voice. "Who's this?"
Aya watched with concealed puzzlement as Patricia's eyes widened. "Yeah," she said in English. "I'm awake. TV? CNN? What about it? Couldn't it wait until tomorrow?" She frowned. She abruptly stood up, letting the covers fall, which revealed what she did not wear when she slept. She snatched a robe, put in on, and headed for the TV in the living room. Grabbing the remote, she turned the TV on, changing channels until she found CNN.
Aya watched from behind her. The news was not unlike the ones he always saw in CNN, and yet, Patricia paid full attention to it. The police milled around, shouting orders while an ambulance's siren wailed in the background. A blonde reporter stood behind one of the police cars. She spoke in English, and Aya was thankful he could understand that language. He listened intently to what she said.
…Sir Gerard Deschanel, a member of the Parliament, is dead. His body was found headless in a street near his London home a few minutes ago. According to sources, his heart was removed from his chest. Scotland Yard is currently investigating this gruesome crime…
Aya glanced at Patricia. Her face paled, and her gold-green eyes widened. She gripped the phone on her hand so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
…a blackened pawprint on his neck and carved on his chest were the words, 'I have returned to destroy those who judge themselves above the law'. So far, there are no suspects and–
Patricia abruptly turned the TV off. She was silent for a moment, and then she hissed, "Kuroneko."
*******
The coffee shop was practically deserted. It was just the two of them and a few more, mostly salarymen on break, although it was cold and there was a light snowdrift outside.
The blue-haired man studied the young woman in front of him. She was, as always, the most beautiful girl in the world. Her features reminded him of Snow White; hair black as ebony; lips red as blood; skin as white as snow. However, he was not here to admire her beauty. "All of his bodyguards were killed," he told her. "The assassin knew when and where exactly to hit."
She said nothing. She had been so quiet since she came in, her beautiful face calm and composed. Her gold-green eyes remained expressionless as he went on. "Do you know what your mission is, Himalayan? Or have you been so distracted by your fooling around with the redhead that you've forgotten? You were sent here to kill someone, not fuck them. If you want to fuck someone, you bloody hell fuck him another time. Don't you–"
"I know perfectly well what my mission is," she interrupted coolly. "And I will accomplish it. I do not need your reminders, or else it is I who will have to remind you who exactly I am." She leaned forward, looking at him straight in the eye with a cold, deadly gaze that belied the casualness of her move.
He resisted the urge to flinch away from her eyes. Though he didn't believe looks could kill, he had a feeling this look could. He stood up. "I'm pleased that we understand each other perfectly, my dear." He smiled slightly at her. She smiled back, a chilly malevolent smile. He then hurriedly left. "Damn her," he swore under breath as soon as he was out of earshot. "And damn him as well!"
*******
Ken knew there was something wrong the moment Manx and Birman entered the room early in the morning. Their usual air of confidence was gone, replaced by a worried look in their eyes that plainly told them something bad had or will happen. "All right, what's wrong now?" Ken asked with resignation.
Manx took a deep breath. "Recent reports tell us that there is a spy in Kritiker."
Aya's eyes narrowed at the news. So, what he suspected was true. There was a spy in Kritiker. He realized that during the time they dealt with Hiroshi Ukari. Hiroshi had known where they hid Patricia when there were only less than ten people who knew about the place. One of those ten people would be the spy, or at least, knew the spy. He glanced around the room, studying his teammates' faces. The question is, who is it?
"A spy?!? First, we deal with a traitor, now a spy. Who is it?" Youji exclaimed, voicing out Aya's question
Birman shook her head. "We don't know who he or she is." She turned to Aya, who sat on the chair beside Omi. "Where is Himalayan?"
"She had other things to do," Aya replied. Patricia refused to talk about what last night had been about. When he woke up, she had already left, though she left a note that said she'd be back by afternoon.
None of the Weiβ Kreuz members were surprised by that announcement. Since her recovery, Patricia had been doing 'something' that none of them could figure out. She would leave suddenly, then come back as abruptly as she had left. None of them dared to ask her about this, and even if they did, they knew she would not answer them. She was like that most of the time.
"I see," Manx said in a neutral voice. "Well, if she comes over, tell her–"
"There's no need. I'm here, Manx. What's this all about?" Patricia then strode into the room.
It took Manx a few seconds to explain the situation to her. "Has this happened to you before?"
"A few times," Himalayan replied coolly. "What are your plans?"
"We're ordering everyone to lie low for now, and that includes you."
"You shouldn't. The spy would know that he's been found out. That would give him a chance to escape."
"She's right. Why don't you run a quiet investigation of agents?" Omi suggested.
"We're working on that. Anyhow, you have to be careful now. You will only receive orders from Birman or me and no one else. Is that clear?"
All of them nodded. "You have to find the spy fast, and kill him," Aya said in his usual cold voice.
"We'll do that." They were set to leave when Patricia suddenly asked, "How is Persia taking this, Birman?"
Birman turned to her in surprise. "Persia is very upset about it," Birman responded in a quiet voice.
Manx couldn't be sure, but it seemed as if there were a glimmer of perverted triumph in Patricia's eyes when she said, "I expect Persia is. I hope his witch-hunt will be successful."
"Doumo, Himalayan-san." Birman gave her a puzzled look. "We'll be going now." Casting Patricia a smile, Birman left with Manx trailing behind her.
Youji raised his eyebrow at Patricia. "What the hell was that all about?"
A ghost of a smile touched her lips. "It's a girl thing, Youji. You wouldn't understand."
*******
She cursed to herself. Damn it! She had been careful, so very careful. She tried to hide it from them, but they had managed to find out. Clever bastards. However, she wasn't defeated yet. They haven't found out her identity so she still had the chance to extract her revenge.
She had been planning for more than a year now, to avenge the deaths of her beloved family. Her brothers, his sons…she would avenge them all. They might have been corrupt, but she had loved them very much. She hadn't been there to protect them, hadn't been there to save them from Kritiker, but now, she had the chance to make the ones who killed her family pay.
It had been ridiculously easy to get it, to get the trust of the people. It took a lot of effort to be who she is right now, a person very close to the chain of command. She had fooled them all, even the supposedly sharp members of Weiβ Kreuz, especially the redhead. She smiled maliciously at the thought of the shock in their faces when they found out who the spy really was. It would be a shock that they would carry to their graves.
*******
Aya carefully balanced the bags of groceries in his arms. It was his turn to shop, as Patricia acidly pointed out when she handed him the grocery list. He grunted as he tried to lift one of the heavier bags. He swore when one of the bags tipped, causing several items to fall down. He carefully bent down to pick up the fallen items. As he slowly rose, a familiar face caught his eye.
Patricia sat inside a small restaurant. She was talking to a blue-haired man whom Aya did not know. He gazed at them. They had a look of concentration on their faces. Then, slowly, Patricia turned to his direction.
It was if a bolt of lightning hit him. A shock ran through Aya's body when he saw Patricia's gold-green eyes briefly widen with astonishment, then narrowed, when she saw him. Her mouth opened slightly, then closed when her companion tugged her sleeve. She removed her gaze from him, and turned to face the unknown man.
Turning on his heel, he headed for his car, fallen groceries forgotten, and drove back to the apartment.
*******
"Who was that?" Aya's cold voice came from the darkness of the apartment.
Patricia paused at the doorway. She removed her shoes, not looking up. "Who was what, Fujimiya?" she asked back, calling him by his surname, telling Aya she expected this 'little chat'. She stepped into the apartment, closed the door, and turned on the lights. She found Aya standing in front of her, amethyst eyes intent.
"The man you were with," he said through clenched teeth. "In that restaurant."
"He is none of your concern," she replied coolly, "but if you must know, he's a lawyer. My lawyer, actually."
Aya stared at her for a moment, studying her face. Her lawyer? Was that true? The man she had talked with did not look like a lawyer, and Aya had a feeling that wasn't all the man was.
"You don't believe me, do you?" She smiled wryly. "Who did you think that man was? A lover? Surely you didn't think he was the spy?" She stared at him, and saw the accusatory look he gave her. "You did."
"What am I supposed to think? You've been disappearing and reappearing. I don't know what you've been up to for the past few days. Then, I find you talking to a man of questionable identity. Not only that, your reaction when you saw me was disconcerting." That had been it. The way she looked at him. In that brief glance, Aya saw a multitude of emotions in her eyes: fear, anger, shock and more. If she had been conferring with a lawyer, she wouldn't look at him that way, unless they were planning something unpleasant he shouldn't know about.
"That was because I didn't expect to see you," she replied in a tight voice. "Fujimiya, if that man were the spy, and had I been conspiring with him, you'd be dead by now." She took off her coat, tossing it on a chair. "Why do I feel like we've had this conversation before? I thought we were past this." She walked past him, then glanced over her shoulder. "What gave you the idea he was the spy? Was it the way we talked? Or is it because of who I am? Was that it, Aya? You think he or I was the spy because I happen to be a Takatori?" she taunted.
Aya was saved from answering that question when there was a sudden knock on the door. Patricia glared at Aya for a moment, a challenge in her eyes, then opened the door. To their surprise, Omi stood there, a smile on his young face. "What is it, Omi?" she asked in a gentle voice.
"It's about the masquerade. Youji-kun asked me to ask you about the invitations."
"Well, I have them. Come in." She walked past Aya again and headed towards their room. A moment later, she emerged, holding some expensive-looking envelopes. "Here. I'm really looking forward to this. Bad Luck's will be playing, and I really want to be there." The party in question was Halloween masquerade to be held at the ballroom of a well-known hotel downtown. It was an exclusive event, the guest list including several famous people from both politics and show business. Being a scion of a political clan, Patricia easily got invitations. Not only that, their shop was hired to do the flower arrangements for the said party. "Who do you think I should be?"
"How about Sleeping Beauty?" Omi said with a smile, which faded when he realized what he said.
Aya frowned. He still hadn't figured out why anyone would want to kidnap Patricia other than to kill her or why Ukari called her 'Sleeping Beauty'. What is it about Sleeping Beauty term that seemed so sinister? Patrick said that his twin got that nickname because she had needed a kiss before she woke up.
"A kiss?" Aya asked, bewildered by Patrick's explanation.
"Well, it's not exactly a kiss. You see, we were born two months premature. I came out first. When Patti came out, she was stillborn. She would have been dead if it weren't for Yukino, who performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to revive her. Yukino nicknamed her 'Sleeping Beauty' after that," Patrick explained. "It's ironic that Patti killed the man who brought her into the world of the living, ne?"
How ironic indeed, Aya thought grimly. Aya didn't mention to Patrick other details concerning Yukino, like the fact that he had Martin Deschanel killed for reasons unknown.
"I'm a brunette. Sleeping Beauty's blonde," Patricia said with a dimpled smile, breaking the uneasy silence in the room. "Maybe I'll go as Snow White. It's more nearer to my coloring. What will you wear?"
"You'll have to talk about your costumes another time," Manx told them, appearing from behind Omi. She looked directly at Patricia. "We have something to discuss, Himalayan. The others will come as well."
*******
"Nani?!?"
Manx calmly stared at the stunned members of Weiβ Kreuz. "You heard me. As of today, Patricia is no longer a member of Weiβ Kreuz."
"Doushite?" Omi glanced at Patricia. Her beautiful face was calm, not showing surprise at the news.
Manx shook her head. "I do not know. The order came from Kritiker. From the top." Manx's gaze focused on Patricia. "Further instructions will be relayed to you once you get to your branch. You should be out of the country by the end of the week."
"Wakatta," replied Patricia. "At least I can attend the masquerade," she remarked wryly.
"Can somebody please tell me what exactly is going on here?" Youji demanded. "Do you have any idea what this is all about?"
"I can only speculate," Manx murmured.
Patricia caught the inquiring tone in Manx's reply. "Speculate all you want, but I'm not telling you anything."
"So you do know what this is all about."
"I'm not required to answer that."
"Does this have something to do with the spy?" Ken wanted to know.
Patricia shrugged. "I don't know–and it doesn't matter. I have my orders, and I have to obey them, whatever the reason behind it may be." She smiled at them. "Don't look so depressed. You knew this was going to happen."
"Yeah," Omi murmured. "But I hoped you'd stay."
She sighed. "I want to stay, but I can't ignore my orders, especially if they came from the top."
Silence fell on the room. Patricia was leaving them, and they couldn't do a thing to stop her. Omi glanced at Aya. The cerise-haired young man was expressionless, as usual, but Omi suspected he was just as disturbed by the news as all of them were.
"By the way," Manx said, almost as an afterthought, "A Sir Gerard Deschanel was brutally murdered a two days ago. Any relation?"
"Sir Gerard Deschanel's is Martin's uncle." Patricia's eyes narrowed into tiny green slits. "Kuroneko killed him. The black pawprint, the missing heart, the message–that's Kuroneko's signature."
"I thought Kuroneko only killed Kritiker agents," Youji remarked.
"He is one," she replied in a quiet voice that told them a lot more than what she'd said.
*******
"You knew this was going to happen."
Aya said nothing. They were in their apartment–Aya's actually, but since Patricia moved in, both of them had begun to think of it as theirs. They never really talked about living together. It just happened. Patricia stayed with Aya while she recuperated from her wound. When she recovered, she found herself staying permanently in his apartment, maybe because all her stuff was already in Aya's apartment. Now that Patricia was leaving, it would become solely Aya's again. The redhead continued to look at her with his I-don't-give-a-damn stare. With an effort, Patricia restrained her temper.
"Aren't you glad I'm leaving? You'll get rid of the spy with almost no effort at all. Not only that, you'll get rid of a treacherous Takatori with whom you'd made the mistake of having a relationship with," she told him bitingly.
"Does it matter what I feel or think about this? You've made it very clear that my opinion doesn't matter."
"I didn't say that." She took a deep breath. "Aya, I know you don't like what I'm doing right now. I don't like it too, but unfortunately, I have little choice on these matters. Now, what I am asking from you is to give me a little trust or even a benefit of a doubt. Our relationship has progressed this much, to the point that I am living in the same house as you do. There must be something in me you trust to let me get this close to you."
The two lovers gazed at each other in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Then finally, Patricia threw up her hands. "What's the use? You never listen. Good night, Fujimiya." She stormed into the bedroom.
She was asleep when Aya came in. She was curled up in the bed, her back towards him. He slid under the sheets, careful not to wake her up. Then gently, he touched her shoulder.
Aya knew it was unfair of him to accuse her of being a spy, but he couldn't help it. When he saw her with that unfamiliar man, it brought up many old fears and prejudices he thought he'd overcome. It also brought up emotions he wasn't prepared to deal with yet.
Now, here was another problem. She was leaving for reasons he could only guess. Where was she going? More importantly, why? There was also the question of trust. Could he truly trust her?
He pushed aside those thoughts. He only had less than a week with her, and he didn't want to spend it arguing with her. Tentatively, he drew her closer to him, turning her body so that she would face him. To his shock, he saw dried-up tear tracks on her cheeks.
Did you cry for me? Aya wondered. He put his arms about her, closed his eyes, and surrendered to sleep.
*******
The day before the event, they went to the ballroom ostensibly scout the place, under the excuse of estimating how many flowers would be used. As they 'scouted', they managed to steal a guest list. Then they quietly slipped out to their van. "Well?" Aya prompted as Omi began to check the guests against a computerized list of suspicious people Kritiker compiled. These days, one couldn't be too careful.
Omi shook his head. "Everyone seems to be who they are. Security is OK, too. He tapped a few keys. "It's pretty tight." He gave Aya a weird look. "Really, Aya-kun. I don't see why we should do this. I mean, this is a VIP event. Security is bound to be really tight."
"Not tight enough. You hacked into it," Aya pointed out. Omi flushed a little at the redhead's remark.
"By the way, where is Patricia?" Ken wanted to know. "I haven't seen her all day."
Omi answered, "She said she'd pick up her costume and plane tickets today."
"Oh? What will you be wearing, Ayan?" Youji asked, one eyebrow raised.
"I'm not coming. I don't have time for foolishness like that."
"Foolishness? You've about two more days with her. Why aren't you with her? Why don't you sweep her off her feet, lock yourselves in your bedroom and make love to her all day?" Youji swooned dramatically, ignoring the deadly look Aya gave him. "You shouldn't waste the time you have left working here. Go to her, old boy!"
"Youji, if you value your life, I think you should shut up," Ken told him, flicking a hasty glance at Aya. If looks could kill, Youji would be a mere memory by now.
"I can't believe she's really going to go. It seems only yesterday that she came here," said Omi, a wistful look on his face. Among the four, he would probably be the one most affected by Patricia's departure. After all, Patricia was his aunt and the two had become very close. She was his link to his forgotten past, and with her gone, Omi would feel her loss very keenly.
"Isn't it a little early for you guys to get all maudlin?" Patricia remarked, appearing suddenly. She gave them an amused look. "I haven't left yet, you know." She smiled at Omi. "Don't worry, I'll keep in touch."
"What are you so happy about?" Youji asked, seeing the flushed on her cheeks and the twinkle in her eyes.
She laughed, "Does it show? You'll find out soon enough." She winked at them. "Why don't you finish up here? I'm treating you out to lunch–and dinner."
Youji grinned. "Mou! You must really be pleased! Is this your going-away treat to us?"
Her smile faded and she said seriously, "Iie. My going-away treat is very, very different from this."
*******
Everyone was surprised when they saw each other's costume on the day of the masquerade. "It seems like we all got the same idea," Ken remarked, grinning. Patricia, Ken, Omi, and Youji all wore their 'Weiβ clothes.
Patricia laughed. "It's a good thing we're wearing masks, or we'll get in trouble."
"Isn't Aya-kun coming?" Omi asked.
She made a face. "Iie. You know Aya. He doesn't like parties." She shot Youji a warning look. "Keep your love advice to yourself, Cupid, if you don't want me to shoot you."
Youji just smiled. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get ready to party!"
*******
The office was dark when Manx arrived early morning. Manx tried to turn the lights on, but the lights did not open. Sensing danger, Manx pulled out a gun from her purse. Crouching, she cautiously stepped into the room.
The room was dark, but it was still possible to see the shapes of the furniture in the room. Tables and chairs were overturned. Someone had obviously entered the office uninvited.
A chair clattered to the floor.
Manx whirled around, trying to listen. It was faint at first, but she heard a familiar voice. Following the sound, she was led into a corner where she found Birman, bound and gagged. Her eyes were wide with terror. "Kyoko!" Manx shouted, calling Birman by her real name. Manx quickly untied her.
Birman doubled over, coughing. She looked up at Manx. "Thank the gods you're here!" she exclaimed.
Manx helped Birman get up. She looked around. "What happened here?" Then she turned back to Birman. The last thing Manx saw was a huge club descending on her head, knocking her out cold.
*******
The party was already in full swing when they arrived. People in colorful costumes were dancing their hearts out as lights swirled around them. On the stage, Bad Luck was playing. "Our flower arrangements look great," Ken remarked looking at the flowers that littered the huge ballroom.
"Naturally." Youji scanned the crowd. "If you'll excuse me." Youji then headed towards a very sexy brunette in cowboy clothes, leaving them. Soon, he and the girl were getting intimate.
Ken and Omi looked around nervously. "Not used to parties, are you?" Patricia asked. She smiled when the two nodded. "Don't worry. If you piss anyone off here, they won't recognize you." She tapped her mask in emphasis. She held her hand out to Ken. "Want to dance?"
"I'll take up that invitation," a masked man wearing a monk's robe said. Ken glared at the man, irritated by his brazenness. Then he saw the blond hair and amber eyes, he realized who the man was.
"It will be a pleasure to dance with you, Eiri, but wouldn't Shuuichi mind?" Patricia glanced at the pink-haired vocalist of the band, who was busy singing his heart out–and keeping an eye on Eiri.
Yuki Eiri grunted. "The brat knows who you are. He trusts you. Nice clothes by the way, Himalayan," Ken and Omi started a little when Yuki Eiri used her codename, "though I liked you better in that catsuit. Well?"
Shaking her head, Patricia let Eiri take her hand. Glancing back at her two young companions, she said, "Enjoy yourselves. Don't drink too much, especially you, Omi. Be careful, too." Then she and the novelist were lost in the crowd of writhing bodies.
"So, what are we going to do now?" Omi asked. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, two young giggling girls dressed in very short, rose-colored roman togas appeared in front of them. "Hi!" they chirped in unison. "Want to dance with us?"
*******
"I never thought a monk would be a good dancer," Patricia observed as he and Eiri danced to the slow, relaxing music. It was one of Bad Luck's newest songs. "Did you write the lyrics?" she asked.
"Hn. The brat finally managed to convince me to write a song for him."
"He's really one of a kind. You're lucky."
"You call this luck, being followed around by a whining baka who–"
"–who happens to love and understand you despite your past and assorted bad habits?" She smiled gently at the abruptly silent novelist. "That's not luck, that's gravitation. You know, opposites do attract and–"
"Where's the redhead?" Eiri asked, cutting her off and effectively changing the subject.
She shrugged. "Home. He doesn't like parties." The music stopped and she broke away from him. She regarded him gravely. "Be thankful of what you have, Eiri. Love's a rare and precious thing."
"Speaking from experience, Angélique?" he asked mockingly. "Remind me to put that in my next novel."
"I'll be waiting for that." She looked around. "I should look for my companions. They aren't used to parties like this." She curtsied gracefully. "Thank you for the dance. Be well, Eiri." Eiri bowed mockingly to her, then left.
Craning her neck, she tried to look for Ken and Omi. When she spotted Omi dancing with a girl, she headed for him. However, a hand clamped on her wrist. Whirling around, she was surprised to see a masked man with long red hair and violet eyes in a dark purple trench coat. "Aya?" she asked, eyes wide with disbelief.
Aya's grip tightened. "Let's dance." Without another word, he drew her to his chest, imprisoning her in his arms. Slowly, they began to dance.
"I thought you didn't like parties like this," Patricia murmured, looking up at him.
"I changed my mind," Aya replied shortly. It actually took him a few seconds after she left for the party for him to change his mind. The thought of her dancing with other men did not sit well with him.
"Sou desu ka?" Patricia smiled impishly, her dimples showing. She wrapped her arms about his neck, surprising the cerise-haired assassin. "I'm glad you made that decision, Fujimiya."
"I was mistaken," Aya suddenly said. Patricia gave him a puzzled look. "I should have given you a benefit of a doubt. I shouldn't have accused you…that way." Aya looked away, and waited for her reaction.
"Everyone makes mistakes, Aya. Nobody's perfect," she replied softly. Her arms slid away from his neck. She gently touched his face. "Je't aime," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. Unexpectedly, she kissed him fervently, surprising Aya for a moment before he responded to the kiss.
"What did you say?" he asked, a little confused.
She shook her head, her long black hair hiding the sad smile on her lips. "Betsu ni. I just–" she frowned when she felt Aya's cell phone vibrate. With an oath, he fished out his cell phone from his pockets. "Hello?"
Patricia watched him for a moment. When the call was finished, there was a grim look on his face. "That was Birman. She wants us to meet her and Manx in a warehouse downtown. You're not included."
"Wakatta. You better find the others."
Aya hesitated. He didn't like leaving her alone. "Are you sure–"
Patricia waved him off with a smile. "I can take care of myself, Aya. Manx needs you. Now go."
*******
"Why do we have to meet here?" Ken complained to Aya.
"I don't know, Ken," Aya replied as he looked around. The four of them were in a poorly-lighted warehouse somewhere outside town. "Manx just told us to meet here."
"Why couldn't she meet us somewhere else, at some other time?" Youji complained.
"It might be important, Youji-kun," Omi said. "Maybe it has something to do with the spy thing."
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Ken muttered loudly, drawing his jacket closer.
There was a sudden hissing sound. Startled, the boys stiffened, senses alert, clutching their weapons. The hissing sound subsided, but was replaced by something else.
"What the hell is that smell?" Youji demanded. They sniffed the air cautiously. The air seemed funny, like…
"Gas!" Omi blurted out loud, quickly covering his mouth and nose. The others did the same. Shit!
"What gas is it?" Youji demanded. The gas was starting to get thicker and higher around them, its white tendrils reaching out to them, like tentacles ready to ensnare them in a deadly embrace.
"The door's locked and so are the windows!" Ken shouted from the door. "We fell into a goddamn trap!"
Aya looked around. The gas seemed to come from everywhere. In a few seconds, he became disoriented.
"Sleeping gas," Ken rasped, his voice faint and on the edge of sleep.
Aya spotted a hazy figure in front of him. He made a few steps towards the figure, each step becoming increasingly difficult because of the gas's effects. As he finally neared the figure, his eyelids drooped shut and his body gave away. He fell on the floor unconscious with a sickening thud.
*******
Ken groaned as he opened his eyes. "What happened?" he asked groggily.
"You fell into a trap," a cold voice said. "Very easily, I might say."
"What?" Ken was about to jump from his seat when he noticed something.
"We're tied up, Ken-ken," Youji's deadpan voice told him. "Don't waste your time and energy jumping up."
Ken looked around. They still seemed to be inside the warehouse. All of them were sitting on a chair and bound by ropes tightly to it.
"Who are you?" Aya asked in a voice filled with contempt.
"I'm disappointed, Abyssinian. I would have thought you knew me by now," the voice from the darkness replied with a cruel laugh. "This might help you." Then a figure slowly emerged from the shadows.
Omi gasped. Their captor had long dark hair. They knew her very well. Indeed, they entrusted their very lives to her several times. "Hello, boys. Are you comfortable?" she asked with a malicious smile. There was a look of perverted triumph in her eyes.
They were speechless. Their captor was someone they did not expect or suspected. "You!" Omi hissed.
~T.B.C.~