By Icewyche
Note from the author: Okay, faithful (and not-so-faithful) readers, I have a challenge for you. When you finish this chapter, go to my bio to see what it is. And now, on with the story!
Chapter Five: Secrets And Lies
Cye leaned wearily against the wall of the elevator. It had been a very long day, and he wanted nothing more now than to soak his aching muscles in a hot tub and go to bed. He couldn't even find the strength to wonder how in the world Ryo had gotten out of that burning shed without Kento noticing --- or where Ryo was now. In the morning, he thought tiredly, as his eyes slid closed. I'll worry about all of it in the morning. The world will still be here then --- and if it's not, then I won't have to worry about it anyway.
The elevator dinged as it arrived at his floor, and Cye managed to rouse himself enough to make his way down the hall to his door. It took three tries before he could get it unlocked, but finally he made it into his living room.
"Sweetheart, you're home! It was getting so late, I was starting to worry," a light female voice chirped. Slender arms enfolded him as the voice continued, "You didn't call or anything and what in heaven's name happened to you, you look like you've been in a bar fight and are those grass stains and why are you limping?"
Cye just stood there as she rattled on, blinking stupidly as his fogged-over brain struggled to put a name to the voice and face in front of him. "Emmy?" he finally managed.
Emiko Satoya didn't even seem to notice that Cye had spoken. "You've been working so hard and we really haven't spent a lot of time together lately, so I thought I would come over and fix dinner. Of course, it's kind of hard to spend time with you when you're not here. Do you have any idea what time it is?" the petite Japanese woman scolded. "Where were you, anyway?"
Cye shook his head, still not completely comprehending what was going on. "Emmy, how did you even get in here?"
"You gave me a key, remember?" As Cye vaguely remembered that he had indeed done just that, Emiko went on, "You really look awful. Honestly, Cye, I went to so much trouble for this, the least you could have done was let me know where you were or that you were going to be late."
"Now how could I do that when I didn't even know you were here?" Cye replied, struggling to keep the growing resentment out of his voice. After all, she had meant well …."Emmy, honey, I'm really tired, okay? I know you tried, and I'm grateful for that, but now's really not a good time."
A faintly sullen look began to creep over Emiko's doll-like features. "It's never a good time, is it?" she pouted. "You never seem to have time for me anymore…you're always working or doing research or out with your friends. You didn't even tell me your friend Sage was getting married. I found the invitation on your desk. When were you going to tell me about that, Cye?"
Now it was really getting hard to keep his tone level. "You went through my desk?"
"Well, you never talk to me anymore, I was afraid there might be someone else." She looked up at him, her brown eyes beginning to glisten with tears. "Is there someone else?"
"Emmy, don't be ridiculous."
"Oh, Cye, there is, isn't there?" Emiko's lower lip trembled and her voice shook. "I love you so much and I've tried to make this relationship work…what did I do wrong? Wasn't I good enough?" She burst into tears. "I'm never good enough for anyone. No matter how hard I try, I'm just never good enough."
"Emmy, darling, that's not true," Cye protested awkwardly. "I love you, I really do. It's just that I've had a bad day and I'm very tired right now, and I guess I'm a bit out of sorts. Honey, please don't cry." Emiko continued to sob, and Cye was torn between comforting her or letting her cry herself out while he went to bed. Guilt warred with exhaustion, and guilt won. Cye sighed inwardly as he gathered Emiko into his arms and murmured soothingly to her.
It had been a long day. It was going to be an even longer night.
Rowen looked at himself in the bathroom mirror, grimacing at the bruises on his face and wincing as his sore muscles protested the rough treatment they had gotten today. God, I look like hell. Of course, he hadn't looked too good to begin with after falling down the basement stairs last night, and getting mowed down by Kento tonight had not helped any. Well, at least he was clean now --- which was more than could be said for Sage, Rowen thought with a wry chuckle.
He slipped into clean pajamas --- not an easy thing to do one-handed --- and headed down the hall to the guest bedroom. He could hear the murmur of voices in the kitchen as Sage and Carey tried to make some sense out of the day's bizarre events. Rowen knew he should probably join them, but his head was throbbing and his whole body ached and he really just wanted to sleep. The painkillers he had taken a little while ago were finally starting to take effect, and Rowen wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to stay awake. Still, he found himself just standing there in the hall outside the guest room, one hand on the doorknob, listening to his best friend and his best friend's fiancée talking…and wondering why he suddenly felt the same way he had when he was in grade school and the other kids had gone off to play in groups and he had been left standing there alone.
Rowen shook his head quickly in annoyance and went into the bedroom, not even bothering to turn on the light. He climbed into bed and stared at the ceiling. Of course Sage is going to share his feelings with Carey, he thought. She's his fiancée --- soon to be his wife --- and he loves her and he's going to spend his life with her. What kind of a marriage would they have if he couldn't talk to her? This isn't like it was during the war with Talpa, when the five of us were all we had. We've all moved on; we have new lives and new friends and that's the way it should be. I'm just tired, he told himself firmly. That's why I'm acting like a sentimental idiot. In the morning I'm going to remember this and feel really stupid.
So why did he still feel so lonely now, so…left-out?
A gentle knock on the door interrupted Rowen's musings. "Come in," he called, and was mildly surprised when Sage opened the door. "Sage? What's up?"
Sage shrugged as he walked into the room. "Just wanted to see if you needed anything," he replied. "Actually, I can't believe you're still awake."
"Not for much longer," Rowen said, smothering a yawn. "I took those pills the doctor prescribed --- didn't really want to, but right now I feel like I've been run over by a freight train."
"The Kento Express. I'd forgotten how hard he can hit," Sage agreed, and Rowen had to smile. Sage had not had a chance to shower or change yet, and he was a mess --- his once-neatly-pressed slacks and button-down shirt were wrinkled, dirty, and grass-stained, there was a bandage on his hand, and Rowen thought he still saw blades of grass caught in Sage's disheveled blonde hair. "Well, get some rest, Rowen. Maybe tomorrow we'll be able to figure out just what exactly is going on with Ryo."
"Sage…can I ask you something?" Rowen queried hesitantly. At Sage's nod, Rowen continued, "At the hospital today --- I saw the look on your face when Carey mentioned the armors. Why didn't you want me to say anything about them?" Even in the dim light from the hallway, Rowen could see the startled, wary look that crossed Sage's face, and it told him everything he needed to know. "She doesn't know, does she?" he said slowly.
Sage glanced furtively at the open bedroom door and sat down on the edge of the bed. "No, she doesn't, and I don't want her to," he replied in a low voice. "Can you imagine what would happen if she did? I almost lost her once, Rowen. I don't want to risk losing her again."
"Sage, it's not that bad. It's not like you have another wife or a child hidden away somewhere. She's not going to stop loving you just because you used to wear the Halo armor."
"I don't want to take that chance. She wouldn't understand about us, about what we were and what we did. If she found out it might destroy everything we've managed to build together. I can't tell her about this. She can never know."
"You can't just deny it ever happened," Rowen said gently. "It was real, Sage, and we can't ever forget that. How much longer do you think you can keep the truth from her, especially now?"
"Rowen, it's over. It's been over for seven years, and it's time to move on. We don't need to resurrect old ghosts, especially not now. Let it go." Sage rose to his feet. "You need to get some sleep, buddy. It's been a long couple of days, and we're not out of the woods yet. Good night, Rowen."
"'Night, Sage." Neither one of them saw the shadow that slipped past the door.
Sage vigorously rubbed a towel over his hair as he walked into the bedroom. Carey was sprawled on her stomach on her side of their bed, her lovely legs crossed in the air behind her as she scribbled something on a legal pad. "What are you doing?" Sage asked.
"Working on the text for the wedding programs," Carey replied without looking up. "I'd like to get this in to the printer before the end of next week."
Sage tossed the towel aside and sat down on the edge of the bed. He reached out and twined a strand of her sable hair around his finger. "Do you have to do that now?" he asked softly.
"Sage, we have six weeks to go until our wedding. You're going to be working during that time, and I have a full schedule of performances, classes, and rehearsals. I want to get this done and out of the way now so we're not rushing around like maniacs two days before," Carey said. "It might go a little faster if you'd give me some input. This is your wedding too, you know."
She still had not looked at him, and Sage felt a sudden, irrational surge of anger. "Oh, so now you decide this is my wedding too? And here I thought I was just another accessory, like your shoes or your veil," he said sarcastically. "You know, Carey, sometimes I think you care more about this wedding than you do about the guy you're actually marrying."
Carey looked up sharply. "Sage, that is so not fair. I have been asking you for your opinion since the very beginning, but lately you don't seem to want to have much to do with this. Do you remember our conversation about the caterers yesterday, when I asked you what you wanted on the reception menu?" she asked before he could reply. "Your exact words were, and I quote, 'They can serve meatloaf and french fries for all I care'. You sat through the premarital session but I know it was just a huge joke to you. Every time I try to get you involved in this wedding you act like it's a big fat waste of your time," she accused.
"Maybe that's because it is," Sage retorted. "I still don't know why we have to do all this anyway. Why couldn't we just get married quietly, why do we have to have this big elaborate show?"
"Because you're the future head of your family and I'm an only child, remember?" Carey said. "Our parents expect us to be married with a certain degree of formality. Count your blessings, mi amor --- we only have sixty guests and we managed to talk your parents into one ceremony and a simple buffet reception. I think your grandfather is still fuming that we opted out of the Shinto ceremony."
"It's not their wedding. It's ours."
"Sage, remember what Cye said? It's only one day," Carey pleaded tiredly. "It won't kill us to make our families happy by having a formal wedding. Who knows, it might even make them a little more amenable to the fact that we're getting married in the first place."
"What do you mean by that?"
Carey shoved her hair back from her face. "Well, it's common knowledge that your grandfather isn't too thrilled about the idea of a Cuban-American granddaughter-in-law. And while my parents are happy that I'm finally getting married and won't wind up an old spinster, they have their reservations about the fact that my future husband not only lives in Japan but is a blonde, blue-eyed, half-Japanese gringo to boot. They always hoped that I'd come home and marry a nice Latino boy."
Sage stared at her. "Why didn't you tell me about this?"
"What good would it have done? It wouldn't change the way I feel about you and it would have only made you feel even more pressured. Sage, it's not that my folks don't like you or that they're opposed to our marriage. But they had other plans for me, just like your family did for you, and now they have to come to terms with the fact that those plans just aren't going to happen." Carey sighed heavily. "Honey, please, let's not fight over this."
"We're not fighting," Sage replied stubbornly. "We're having a difference of opinion."
"Po-tay-to, po-tah-to, love," Carey said wryly.
"Doesn't that song end, 'Let's call the whole thing off'?"
Carey went very still. "Is that what you want?"
Sage gave a short, humorless laugh. "Like we have a choice. You have family coming from Miami, I have relatives coming from Los Angeles, not to mention the people that are already here. It's not as if we can just call them all and say we changed our minds."
"That's not what I asked you," Carey said quietly.
Sage's shoulders drooped. "No," he replied softly. "I want to marry you…I love you. It's just…it's been a really rough couple of days. My head hurts, I feel like I've been trampled by a herd of elephants, and I'm so tired and confused I can't even think straight," he finished helplessly.
"My poor wounded sweetheart." Carey reached out and smoothed his golden hair away from his forehead. "Kento really flattened you, didn't he? I was wondering if you'd ever get the grass out of your hair, and I have a feeling your clothes are a total loss." She took his bandaged hand in hers and kissed it gently. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'll live," Sage reassured her. "Just remind me to stand well back the next time the 'Human Wrecking Ball' gets stuck behind a locked door." He traced a finger along the side of her face. "Carey, I'm sorry I snapped at you, koibito. I shouldn't be taking my rotten mood out on you."
"It's all right, honey. It's late; we're both tired and on edge and we're saying things we'll regret later. Let's get some sleep, and I'm sure things will look better in the morning," Carey replied. "I just hope we didn't wake Rowen with our little 'difference of opinion'."
Sage chuckled. "Darling, Rowen can sleep through Armageddon when he's perfectly healthy. Add injury, a long day, and a couple of painkillers to that and Rowen won't be conscious until sometime late tomorrow afternoon. Which means," he added suggestively as he slipped into bed beside her, "we don't have to worry so much about making a little noise."
"I thought you were tired."
"Tired, yes. Dead, no."
"Hmmm," Carey murmured as Sage kissed her shoulder. "You're really worried about him."
"Who?" Sage murmured absently, apparently more interested in toying with the strap of her camisole.
"Rowen. You love him, don't you?" Carey asked casually.
"Not the way I love you," Sage replied, nuzzling her neck. "Rowen is my best friend and he's like the brother I never had and yes, I'm concerned about his safety. I'm also extremely glad that he's a very sound sleeper and can we please talk about something else now?" he pleaded.
"Okay. Did you have anything special you wanted in the wedding programs --- a favorite quote or something?" Carey said with a straight face.
Sage groaned. "Later, Carey."
" 'Later'?" Carey raised an eyebrow. "Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of Shakespeare or the Rubayyat."
Sage took the papers from her hands, setting them on the bedside table. "Later," he repeated firmly, then softly added, "Please?"
Carey gazed into those beseeching amethyst eyes and smiled tenderly. "Later," she agreed, and turned out the light.
Kento felt as if he'd aged a hundred years in one night. Muscles he hadn't even known he had screamed in pain as he slowly climbed the stairs to his family's apartment over the restaurant. His lungs still stung from the smoke he had inhaled, and he wondered if he'd ever get the smell out of his clothes. But more than that, his mind was still reeling from the events of the night.
Ryo was in that shed with me when it caught fire. I know he was. And there's no way he could have gotten past me after the fire started, not without me noticing. So why didn't the firefighters find him? Why did he start that fire in the first place? And if he did get out, where the heck is he now? He sighed as he walked into the darkened living room. This just keeps getting weirder and weirder.
"Kento? Is that you?" a voice called from the shadows, and Kento froze, ready to fight. He was still in fighting stance when his mother turned on the light. She blinked mildly at the sight of her oldest child standing there with his fists up. "Is something wrong?" she asked.
Kento sagged, relieved. "Oh…hi, Mom. I didn't wake you up, did I?"
"No, I was waiting for you," Mama Layfang replied. She frowned as she got a good look at her dirty, bruised, and disheveled son. "And perhaps it was a good thing I did. Whatever you've been doing, it wasn't playing baseball." She sniffed the air. "You smell like a bonfire. What on earth have you been up to?"
"Oh, there was a little problem after the game…some goof set the equipment shed on fire, nothing big," Kento said, grinning awkwardly, trying not to alarm her. "But hey, my kids won! Five to two --- heck of a game, Mom. I'm real proud of those kids," he rambled, hoping to avoid any more questions. "You know, Mom, it's awful late. I'm home and in one piece, so why don't you go on to bed and get some rest?"
Mama Layfang was not buying his act for a second. "You come home well after dark, covered in dirt and soot and smelling like smoke, with a bandage on your face, and you think you can just gloss it over and make me think nothing's wrong? Oh, no, you don't, Kento Layfang. Sit down while I get the first-aid kit, and then you're going to tell me the whole story."
"Aw, Mom," Kento groused. "I'm too big for you to fuss over me."
Mama smiled. "Kento-chan, no matter how big you get, you will never be too big for your mother to fuss over you. Now sit. I want to make sure those cuts don't get infected."
Kento sighed, knowing he was beaten. "Yes, Mama."
Later that night, scrubbed so clean he almost squeaked and with Mama's antiseptic still stinging a bit, Kento sat on the edge of his bed and looked around the room --- the same room he'd had pretty much all his life, he thought with a sudden feeling of hopelessness. Oh, yeah, some things had changed --- his college diploma hung on the wall, lovingly framed by Papa Layfang, and there were books on the shelves that actually weren't comic books --- but it was still the same room he'd lived in for nearly twenty-four years, and suddenly the knowledge of that depressed him to no end.
What's wrong with me? he wondered. Why am I still here, still doing the same thing I did back in high school? The other guys have moved up and moved on…they have interesting lives and beautiful girlfriends and homes of their own. None of them still live at home with their parents. He frowned, not liking the sudden sting of --- envy? resentment? --- that pricked at him. Well, it's not their fault I'm stuck in this rut. But why can't I seem to get out of it?
His eye fell on a manila envelope that sat on his desk --- information he had requested some time ago about applying to the police academy. He hadn't even opened it yet. Tomorrow, he told himself firmly. Tomorrow I'll look at it and see what I need to do. Then I'll do it. Feeling much better, he turned out the light and climbed into bed. How hard can it be? I want my life to change, I have to make a start somewhere. And tomorrow, I will.
But he didn't.
Four days later, Sage sat at his desk, trying to concentrate on a proposal for a new exhibit and failing spectacularly. His mind kept skipping back to the events of the past weekend --- Rowen's accident, Kento's near-barbecuing, Ryo's disappearance. And it was still getting stranger, he mused. He had asked his father to let him know when the final report on the park fire was released, even though he had an feeling he already knew what it was going to say. He had watched the fire investigators at the park that night, and they had been thorough. If they said there was no sign of a body in the rubble of the shed, then he was inclined to believe them. Not only that, he thought, but there was the little matter of the psychic connection between the Ronins. It had faded slightly in the past seven years, but it was still there, enough to let him sense that Rowen had been in danger. But he had not felt Ryo's death.
In fact, if the truth be known, he had not even felt Ryo, he thought with a sudden frown.
Sage sighed deeply. Actually, it had been a strange weekend all around. In an effort to mend his fences with Carey, Sage had agreed to work on wedding details with her through most of Sunday. But try as he might, Sage just could not muster up any real enthusiasm for menus and color schemes and what they wanted played for their first dance --- in fact, the whole thing left him feeling weirdly chilled, as if someone had turned the air conditioning up too high. And then Rowen and Carey had begun acting rather awkwardly around each other, although to be honest Sage couldn't really blame either of them. Rowen had to be feeling a bit like a fifth wheel, stuck in an apartment with two people who were obviously in love and planning their wedding. And Sage had to admit, as much as he cared about Rowen and wanted to keep him out of danger, having your best friend underfoot did tend to put a damper on certain…romantic inclinations. Rowen had left on Tuesday afternoon, having had the locks on his house changed and promising that he would call them if he needed any help. Sage was embarrassed by how relieved he had been to see Rowen go.
A sharp knock on his door brought him abruptly back to the present. "Sage, did you find the list of items from the Yoshimura estate?" Matsuka asked.
Sage looked up from the jumble of paperwork on his desk. "I thought I gave that to you this morning."
"I thought you did, too," Matsuka replied with a wry smile, chidingly waving a small sheaf of papers at him. "But somehow I don't think we bought duck teriyaki and chorizo from that estate sale."
"Oh." Sage flushed, chagrined. "You know, I was wondering why the caterers were listing handpainted screens and an 18th-century tea set as menu options."
Matsuka chuckled. "Carey's got you making decisions now, does she?"
Sage grimaced as he handed her the correct list. "That's all we've been doing for the past three days. Menus, flowers, music, etcetera. Makes me wish we were both orphans, then we could just elope and be done with it. Actually, I have to hand it to Carey --- she asked me very nicely if I would 'mind' taking the menu with me and making a decision on it. But I know an order when I hear one."
"You poor thing," Matsuka mocked gently. "Cruelly forced to participate in planning your own wedding."
"Yeah, you think it's funny," Sage grumbled. "But you know, I figured it all out. We've planned on about four hours for this wedding, from the start of the ceremony to the end of the reception. So far we've spent eight months putting this thing together. The actual marriage vows will take about fifteen minutes. Am I the only one who thinks that's a little bit nuts?" he wondered.
"Look on the bright side, Sage. Your wedding, from what you've told me, is going to be a relatively simple affair. At least nobody's insisting on six-foot-tall ice sculptures, a full string orchestra, or thirty white doves to be released as you and Carey leave the church."
"Yet," Sage replied glumly.
"Get over it, Date. It's only one day."
"You're the third person to tell me that in the past five days," Sage said. "But do you realize that it'll be over nine months from the day I asked Carey to marry me to the day we actually tie the knot? Nine months of planning and organizing and preparing, and all for less than twenty-four hours of the actual event."
Matsuka raised an eyebrow. "Yes, it's sort of like giving birth, actually. But trust me, Sage, it's a lot easier to have a wedding than a baby --- something I'm sure the two of you will find out soon enough." She smiled at him and left.
Sage barely noticed. A baby, he thought, his mind reeling with a startling, unexpected vision…a dark-haired, purple-eyed infant stretching out chubby arms to him, a tiny hand curling tightly around his finger. The vision was so clear he was actually surprised to find that his arms were empty. By this time next year Carey and I could be parents. Oh, my God. Suddenly he was very glad that he was sitting down.
The phone rang and Sage eagerly seized the receiver, grateful for the distraction. "Kazuhara Gallery, Sage Date speaking."
"Sage? It's Dad," said the voice on the other end of the line. "The final report on that fire at the park was released this morning. I think you might be interested in what it had to say."
Cye scowled at his computer screen. Because the regular tour guide had called in sick, Cye had been forced to spend the morning showing a group of bored teenagers the inner workings of the Marine Science Institute. About the only time any of them had shown any interest was when they had discovered that banging on the thick glass of the tanks had a tendency to scare some of the more skittish fish. Cye had herded them all out of there before he gave into the temptation to hurl a few of them into the tanks...preferably the one with the sharks. Then, for reasons known only to itself, the computer had decided to eat his just-finished report on the fuel spill at the Osanbashi Pier in Yokohama, the report he had spent four days typing. And the stack of books on his desk reminded him that his thesis --- the one he needed to earn his Master's degree --- was not going to write itself.
I could have worked on it over the weekend, Cye thought sullenly, and he felt a sting of resentment when he remembered why he hadn't. It wouldn't have been so bad if he had been able to convince Emiko that he wasn't seeing anyone else and that had been the end of it. But then the dinner she had prepared burned from being left in the oven for so long, which prompted a new flood of self-recriminations about how she was such a terrible cook (which she was, Cye thought uncharitably) and she couldn't do anything right, not even fix a simple meal to try and make things a little easier for him, and what did he ever see in someone as hopeless as her? Maybe he should find someone else, Emiko had sniffled, and so he had had to try and reassure her that she wasn't a failure, that he really loved her and would she please stop crying, it wasn't that bad and he wasn't terribly hungry anyway. Which of course had started her crying even more because now he was upset with her and so forth and so on, until finally he had taken her to bed to show her just how much he loved her…something that might have worked better if he hadn't fallen asleep in the middle of nuzzling her neck. It had taken him until Sunday night to placate her, but she finally left chirping and happy and making him promise to call her soon.
He sighed unhappily and leaned back in his chair. Why is it that all the time I spend with Emmy lately always ends the same way? he wondered. She leaves happy and content, and I feel like I've been put through the wringer. What's wrong with me that sometimes I really wish she would leave me? I know she loves me…why can't I be grateful for that?
Of course she loves you, a tiny, cynical voice in his head replied. The same way a vampire 'loves' the person it feeds on. That's why you always feel so drained when she leaves --- she's sucking the life out of you and you're too naïve to see it.
Cye frowned. That's not true. Sure, maybe she gets a little clingy sometimes. But Emmy's been treated badly in the past…she seems to have a history of dating guys who use her and then dump her.
So you have to spend your life atoning for the sins of her past boyfriends? If she loves you so much, why does she use you the way she does?
She doesn't 'use' me. She came over the other night for my sake, to try and give me a break.
The cynical little voice laughed scornfully. Sure she did. She knew you were tired, that you had a lot on your mind. But did she ask you about it even once? Did she even notice that you were hurt, apart from complaining about how late you were and how awful you looked? Who did the evening really end up being about? Give you a hint --- it wasn't you.
Stop it, Cye ordered the voice. Emmy loves me. I know she does. And I love her. The voice didn't reply, and Cye felt better. There's a lot going on right now, and it's confusing as hell. That's why I'm feeling so out of sorts with Emmy. Once we get this whole thing with Ryo figured out, then things will be fine, Cye told himself firmly.
So why didn't he quite believe it?
The phone rang suddenly, and Cye answered it. "Hello?"
"Cye? It's Sayoko."
Cye's spirits lifted instantly at the sound of his older sister's voice. "Sayoko? God, it's good to hear from you. How is everything?" A sudden worry struck him. "Nothing's wrong, is it? Is Mum all right?"
Sayoko Mouri Shizuka laughed softly at her brother's concern. "Stop worrying, Cye, everything's fine. I just haven't spoken to you in a long while and thought I'd call to see how you were doing. I figured I had a better chance of reaching you at work than at your home."
"Probably a good idea," Cye agreed. "I don't seem to spend a whole lot of time at home lately. So how is Mum?"
"Doing as well as can be expected," Sayoko replied. "She hasn't had any bad spells for a while, and her doctor is cautiously pleased. She misses you, though."
Cye felt a stirring of guilt. "I miss her, too," he said softly. "I really should come home sometime to see everyone, but I've just been so busy."
"It's all right," Sayoko reassured him. "Mum understands how important getting your Master's degree is to you. She's really proud of you, you know. She brags about you all the time," she teased.
Cye was glad his sister couldn't see him blushing. "Is Mum there? Can I speak to her?"
"Actually, she's resting right now. She tires a lot more easily these days. I'll tell her I spoke to you, though. Oh, and Ryuusuke and the kids send their love." Ryuusuke was Sayoko's husband. "Chiako and Kenji want to know when their Uncle Cye is going to take them swimming again. But, Cye --- if you introduce them to any more whales, I swear I'll kill you," Sayoko threatened, making Cye laugh. By the time he finished talking to Sayoko, Cye felt more cheerful than he had in days. He promised her that he would make a visit home as soon as he could and hung up, then returned to his work with a smile on his face.
Two hours later, Cye had managed to restore most of his report when the phone rang again. "Cye, it's Sage," said the voice on the other end. "I just got a call from my dad. The report on that fire at the park was released today."
Cye was suddenly alert. "What did it say?"
"What we knew already --- there was no body in the rubble. As far as the fire investigators can tell, Kento was alone in the shed the whole time."
"But that's not possible," Cye protested. "Kento said he heard Ryo. And that fire didn't just start by itself, Sage."
"Well, that's another interesting thing…because according to this report, that's exactly what happened."
"What?"
"There were no traces of accelerants, nothing that could have started the fire," Sage replied. "And it wasn't an electrical fire, either --- the point of origin was against the back wall, far away from any electrical wiring. It's as if the wall just spontaneously combusted."
Cye was silent for a moment. "Sage…this is getting very weird."
"I know. And something tells me it's going to get even weirder. Can you come over to my place tonight around six? I'm going to call Rowen and Kento and see if I can get them over too. We need to talk about this, and I'd rather not try to teleconference. Carey has a late rehearsal, so we should be finished before she gets home."
"Is that a good idea, keeping her in the dark like this? She already knows Ryo's missing and apparently stalking the rest of us. Don't you think she's worried?"
Sage gave a small, cynical laugh. "Right now Carey has her hands full with planning this wedding, not to mention rehearsals and performances. I think Ryo is the least of her worries at this point."
Cye did not like the tone of his friend's voice. "Sage, I really think you underestimate her sometimes," he said cautiously. "If nothing else, I'm sure she's concerned for your safety. Do you remember what Rowen said at the hospital --- that Ryo had said something about the armors having 'made' us? Have you thought that maybe this is why Ryo is going after us now? And if it is, don't you think you should tell her the truth about the armors now, before this whole thing gets out of hand?"
"I'll deal with that later," Sage said, and Cye knew it was useless to try and persuade him. "Right now we have to decide what to do about Ryo. See you at six, then?"
"I'll be there," Cye agreed, and Sage hung up. Cye gazed thoughtfully at the receiver for a moment before replacing it in its cradle. While none of them wanted to relive the dark days of their armored past, Sage's adamant refusal to even discuss the armors had Cye concerned --- especially his insistence on keeping the secret from the woman he was about to marry. You didn't have to be a psychic to see that that would lead to trouble, Cye mused worriedly. But he knew full well that Sage would not appreciate his interference in this, so he would just have to keep his own counsel…and hope he was far away when the fireworks went off.
And speaking of fireworks…Cye frowned as he mulled over Sage's report. If the fire inspectors were right --- and he had no reason to believe they weren't --- the fire that had nearly incinerated Kento had not been started by normal means. Add to that Ryo's apparently miraculous escape from the flames and his abrupt disappearance, not to mention the bizarre "accident" that had almost killed Rowen, and it led Cye to a conclusion he had not had to think about in seven years. A conclusion he did not like one bit.
Could it be…is it possible that we're dealing with a supernatural force here? But why now, after all this time? We haven't worn the armors in years --- they aren't even the same ones we started with. These armors aren't from Talpa's body; they have no connection to his evil. We don't even have the Inferno Armor anymore. We've just been living normal, everyday lives, free of any kind of magic or mysticism. So what would a supernatural being want with us now? Even Suzunagi didn't wait seven years. Cye shook his head with a deep sigh. Trying to figure it all out by himself would only be an exercise in futility. He would just have to wait and see what the others thought.
When he arrived at Sage's apartment building that evening, Sage was just walking up to the door. "I had a late meeting," Sage said by way of explanation. "Rowen and Kento should get here any minute now."
"Well, in that case, why don't we just wait for them here?" Cye suggested. "It'll save you having to buzz them in when they arrive." Sage agreed, and the two settled down in the lobby to wait.
After a moment, Cye said, "Sage, I know we've been over this before, but I have to say I don't like the idea of you keeping Carey out of the loop on this."
Sage sighed. "I know. But Carey and I have enough stress dealing with this wedding coming up. Telling my bride-to-be that I used to be a mystical warrior for the forces of good isn't going to help matters any. Besides, the armors are a thing of the past. Is it too much to ask that we leave them there?" he asked.
Cye started to reply, but a movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned his head to see what had distracted him --- and froze. "Sage," he muttered warningly. Sage followed Cye's gaze and his own eyes widened.
Ryo stood at the door to the stairwell.
For a moment the three men just stood there staring at each other. Then Ryo gave them a mocking smile and went into the stairwell. "How did he get in here?" Sage wondered.
"Never mind that now," Cye replied. "Stay here and wait for Rowen and Kento. I'm going after him."
"Cye, wait," Sage protested as he followed Cye across the lobby. "You know he's dangerous. You can't go alone."
Cye yanked open the heavy door to the stairs, looking first up, then down. Ryo stood one flight below him, gazing up with that same cool smile. Then he turned and slowly began to descend the stairs as Cye and Sage watched. "Damn him, he's waiting for me," Cye muttered incredulously.
"He's headed for the basement," Sage noted. "Cye, don't do this. He's up to something."
"Sage, there's no time. We have to stop him before he hurts anyone else, and this may be our best chance." Cye headed for the stairs. "As soon as the guys get here, come after me."
"Cye --- " Sage argued, but Cye was already lost to view. Sage shook his head with a sigh. "Be careful," he said quietly.
Cye tore down the stairs to the basement, wondering how Ryo had managed to find them. It's as if he was waiting for us, as if he knew we'd be here. But how? A brief, disloyal thought flashed through his mind --- Sage had set up this meeting. Could Sage have somehow tipped Ryo off? No, that was ridiculous. Sage had been every bit as surprised as he himself was. Or perhaps Ryo had been waiting for Sage, perhaps the blonde swordsman had been his next target. In which case, Cye mused grimly, Ryo was going to get a lot more than he had bargained for.
He emerged from the stairwell into the basement area of the building. Cye had to hand it to Sage and his bride --- they had done quite well for themselves. Where most apartment buildings would just have storage space and maintenance equipment in the basement, Sage and Carey's building had a small gym and an indoor pool, something that Cye supposed came in handy for a kendo master and a ballerina, two people who prided themselves on being in top physical shape. Of course, Sage had explained wryly, it meant that they had to rely on an outside storage facility for anything big, but there were trade-offs to everything.
Cye looked warily around him. It was silent and there was no one else in sight, which struck him as odd. It was just after six in the evening…there should be people down here. He tried the door to the gym; it was locked. But the door to the pool stood invitingly open. So that's his game, Cye thought, his lips tightening. Very well, Ryo, if that's how you want it. He squared his shoulders and walked into the pool area.
The lights were dim and the only sounds Cye heard were the soft lap of water against tile and the faint echo of his own footsteps. He scanned the shadows for any sign of Ryo. He didn't see anyone, but somehow he knew he wasn't alone. "I know you're here," he said to no one in particular, his voice sounding surprisingly loud in the silence. "Come out and show yourself." No answer. "You brought me down here for a reason, Ryo," Cye tried again. "What do you want from me? Why are you doing this?" Nothing. "Ryo?"
The blow came out of nowhere, catching him across the back and sending him sprawling. Cye hit the ground and instinctively rolled, leaping quickly to his feet to face his attacker. "Ryo?" he yelled. "Come out and face me, Ryo. What are you afraid of?"
The lights flickered and dimmed even further, until all Cye could see were shadows. His sea-blue eyes widened automatically, trying to let in as much light as possible until they adjusted, and that was when the second blow slammed into his shoulder with a force sufficient to knock the wind out of him. His ankle twisted beneath him and he fell heavily onto the cool tile, the impact echoing off the walls. Cye winced as he struggled to stand, frantically scanning the gloom for any sign of his assailant. A third blow smashed into his jaw, snapping his head around and sending him flying into a stack of chairs with a tremendous crash.
Cye lay dazed amid the tangled heap of metal and plastic, trying furiously to blink the stars out of his vision, and that was when he heard it --- a low, menacing chuckle that turned his blood to icy sludge. "Ryo?" he whispered painfully.
Ryo emerged from the shadows, a cruel smile on his face. "You fool," he said, almost conversationally. "What's that saying you have? Ah, yes…curiosity killed the cat." The smile widened. "Or, in this case, the fish."
"Ryo, please, stop it," Cye pleaded. He tried to get up, but fell back with a gasp of pain. "Why are you doing this? What's happened to you?"
"You're afraid of me, aren't you?" Ryo asked pleasantly. "You should be. You're the reason I'm here, you and your friends. I've waited a long time for this." He advanced on Cye, still smiling coldly.
Cye managed to drag himself backward on his elbows until he was against the wall. "Ryo, no. You don't want to do this. You're not well." Where the bloody hell are Sage and the others? he wondered frantically. If I can just keep him talking until they get here…"Ryo, please…let us help you. It doesn't have to be like this. We all care about you, and we want to help you, but you have to trust us," he stammered. Damn it, Sage, get your perfectly-tailored ass down here already!
Ryo laughed softly. "Cye of Torrent, whose virtue is Trust," he said smoothly. In two strides he had caught up to Cye, looming menacingly over his injured friend. Cye froze as Ryo reached down and caught his chin in one hand, almost gently turning Cye's face up so that he stared directly into Ryo's china-blue eyes. Ryo's voice was almost caressing as he continued, "You should know better, little fish --- sometimes trust can be fatal."
"Ryo, no --- " Cye cried, but his words ended abruptly in a strangled gasp as Ryo's hand closed on his throat. Then, to his shock, Ryo picked him up and slammed him against the wall, holding him aloft so that Cye's feet were a good twelve inches off the floor. Cye kicked and struggled, clawing at Ryo's wrist. A flailing foot connected with Ryo's leg with a solid thunk, but Ryo didn't even flinch. He just continued to smile cruelly, holding Cye up as if he weighed nothing at all. Cye looked into Ryo's eyes, searching for some remnant of sanity or kindness, some shred of the friend he knew. Then he saw a gleam of red deep within the blue eyes, and suddenly he knew. "You're not Ryo," he choked. "Who are you? What are you?!"
The Ryo-thing chuckled, a sound like the rattle of bones in a long-abandoned crypt. "So, you've figured it out, Cye of Torrent. I wondered which one of you would be the first to realize the truth. And now you want to see my true face? Very well, but remember --- be careful what you wish for," it hissed. As Cye watched in helpless horror, Ryo's face shifted, darkened, lengthened; the cold smile became a row of sharp, gleaming teeth and the wide blue eyes slanted and turned blood-red. The hand on his throat became stone-hard and he could feel talons digging into his skin. When the transformation was complete, a scale-covered, gaunt-featured demon stood before him, grinning viciously. Cye would have screamed if he could have gotten any air into his constricted throat.
The…creature laughed at Cye's terror, baring razor-sharp fangs. "What's the matter, little fish? Do I frighten you?" it taunted him in a voice that seemed to echo from the very depths of hell. The crimson eyes glowed luridly for a moment, and the demon's smile widened. "Ahhh, yes…I can taste your fear, as well as your power. You'll give me quite a feast."
"No…" Cye moaned, fighting to draw a full breath. Small black spots were beginning to dance across his vision. "Where is…Ryo? What have…you…done with him?" he gasped.
The demon emitted that horrible chuckle again. "He's well enough for now, Torrent. Right now he feeds me, makes me grow stronger. But he won't last forever. And when I've finished with Ryo of Wildfire, I'll collect the rest of you."
"Never!" Cye managed. The demon's hand tightened on his throat, closing off his windpipe even more. The claws sliced into his skin and he felt blood trickle down his neck. He couldn't focus his eyes now, and the black spots were growing larger. "We won't…surrender…to you!"
"You won't have a choice," the demon snarled. "Little by little the four of you grow weaker while my strength increases. Do you really think you can stand up to me when I reach my full strength? Soon you will all be mine. But fight me if it makes you feel better, Cye of Torrent. Each defeat only prepares you for me and makes you worthy of my hunger."
The words, heard as if from the end of a long tunnel, barely registered in Cye's oxygen-starved brain. His struggles became increasingly feeble as the world turned gray and indistinct. He had time for one last thought --- Ryo, I'm sorry --- before his nerveless fingers fell away from the monster's wrist and his eyes closed. Then there was nothing.
The demon held its captive aloft for a moment longer. Then, with a motion that could have been a disinterested shrug, it casually tossed the limp body into the pool and vanished in a shimmer of displaced air.
When it was gone, the lights flickered back on.
"Look, I said I was sorry," Kento huffed as he, Sage, and Rowen ran down the stairs to the basement. "It's not my fault some jerk decided to run a red light and plow into the side of a truck. Why the hell did Cye go down here by himself anyway? Couldn't you stop him?"
"Short of tying him to a chair, no," Sage retorted. "Cye is as stubborn as you are sometimes --- he just hides it better. I only hope we're not too late."
They emerged from the stairwell into the brightly-lit basement. "Cye!" Rowen called. "Cye, are you okay?"
Kento looked around with an appraising whistle. "Wow, Sage…a gym and a pool. You and Ballerina Barbie have really got it made." Sage didn't answer. "Sage?"
Sage had gone stock still, his violet eyes wild and wary in his suddenly white face. "Something's wrong," he said in a strange, distant voice. He shivered faintly, then jolted himself back to reality with a quick snap of his head. "We have to find Cye --- now," he said brusquely.
"The gym's locked," Rowen reported.
"Then that only leaves one place," Sage replied, already striding toward the pool. "Cye --- Cye, are you in here?" he called. There was no answer. The three Ronins walked into the main pool area…and stopped cold. Rowen's gasp of horror was shockingly loud in the sudden silence.
A motionless form floated face-down in the blue chlorinated waters.
Before Kento had even stopped cursing, Sage had stripped off his jacket and was running for the pool. He hit the water in a fast, flat dive that carried him easily to where his friend's limp body drifted gently in the slight current. In seconds he had Cye in a rescue hold and was swimming back to where the other two waited.
Rowen and Kento dragged Cye onto the cool tile as Sage levered himself out of the water. He shoved his wet hair out of his face, then looked down at the soaked ruin of his formerly immaculate outfit and swore softly in dismay. "I am going to kill Ryo for this," he muttered from between clenched teeth.
Kento knelt beside Cye's sodden form. "Uh --- guys? I-I don't think he's breathing," he stammered anxiously.
Sage cursed again and knelt beside Cye, checking his vital signs. "I can't find a pulse," Rowen said, his midnight eyes wide. "Sage…is he ---?"
"You know CPR --- what are you waiting for?" Sage replied harshly. Without waiting for a reply, he placed his hands over Cye's heart and began chest compressions as Rowen started rescue breathing. "Kento, my cell phone's in my jacket," Sage continued after a moment, never breaking his rhythm. "Call an ambulance --- we might need it."
Kento jumped to his feet and headed for Sage's discarded jacket. But he hadn't gone more than three steps when Cye suddenly gasped and began to choke violently, coughing up water, his body convulsing. Rowen turned him on his side and gently rubbed his back until the spasms quieted.
When he could breathe again, Cye opened his unfocused turquoise eyes and blinked slowly up at his friends. "Is it gone?" he mumbled fuzzily.
Carey hummed softly to herself as she crossed the lobby of her apartment building. Sage was going to be surprised, she thought, smiling. She was supposed to have been in a rehearsal until almost eight, but the choreographer had called in sick and the rehearsal had been canceled, which suited Carey just fine. Things had been rather difficult over the past few days, what with Ryo's disappearance and the bizarre "accidents" that had befallen Rowen and Kento. And while she liked Rowen, sharing her home with him for three days had been kind of awkward. Then, of course, there was Sage himself. He had tried to be a good sport and get involved with the wedding details, but she sensed that his heart wasn't really in it...and in all fairness she really couldn't blame him, Carey thought guiltily. One of his dearest friends in the world was missing, another had been seriously hurt and a third had narrowly escaped a fiery death, and she was insisting that he worry about something as frivolous as the color of the wedding programs.
Well, not tonight, she thought firmly as she pressed the button for the elevator. Tonight I intend to spend some quality time with my man. No wedding plans, no missing friends, no accidents, no weirdness. Just a quiet, relaxing evening alone with my overworked sweetheart. The elevator dinged as it arrived at the lobby. Is that too much to ask?
Carey stepped onto the elevator…and stopped dead at the sight that greeted her. Apparently, it is.
"Hi, honey. Uh --- you're home early," Sage said with a studied nonchalance, as if it was nothing unusual for him to be walking around fully dressed and soaking wet.
"Rehearsal was canceled," Carey replied slowly, trying to somehow make sense of this outlandish apparition. Her proper, mannerly, and somewhat vain fiancé was calmly standing there in the waterlogged wreck of what had once been an expensively-tailored suit, supporting a dazed, battered, and equally drenched Cye and flanked on either side by a chagrined-looking Rowen and Kento. Carey looked from one to the other of them in utter disbelief, then shook her head and sighed.
"I can't wait to hear this one explained," she said dryly.
***********************************************************************************************
mi amor: Spanish, "my love".
gringo: Spanish, colloquial for "foreigner".
chorizo: A Spanish dish; spicy pork sausage seasoned with garlic.