Disclaimer: I don't own Iria (though I wouldn't mind it….) and I'm not making any money off this. (If I was, do you think you'd see this disclaimer?) The only thing I own here is this story and Shiv. She's mine, do you hear me? Mine! *laughs nervously* Okay…on with the show…..
Rating: PG-13 - language, violence
Ghosts of the Past
Part 7: Infiltration
The following morning, three courtesans entered the Tedon Tippidai lobby, two of whom the guards had never had the pleasure of hitting on. They were accompanied by two bodyguards, neither of whom the secretaries had had the pleasure of flirting with. The entourage had reached the center of the lobby when the head of security walked up to them, smiling pleasantly. "Ah, Ranfan-san," he beamed. "A pleasure, as always. The ninety-fourth floor, I presume?"
Ranfan smiled back. "As always."
The man looked with interest at her companions. "And who are these fine young ladies and their gentlemen friends, Miss Ranfan?"
Ranfan unfolded the fan on a cord about her wrist and flicked it idly. "Oh, they are close friends of mine, whom I thought would like to…pay their respects to Mr. Putubai. The gentlemen are their bodyguards. You see, they had the misfortune of being victimized in the past and having no wish for it to happen again…" She let her voice trail off. "So, you see, the gentlemen must also accompany us to the ninety-fourth floor."
The man nodded. "As you wish, Miss Ranfan. You know Mr. Putubai's instructions were to allow you free rein with who went with you there. It was his…last wish, you could say."
Ranfan nodded. "Well…I do not suppose we should keep him waiting any longer. Good day to you, sir. Ladies?" She glided smoothly across the floor to lift number ten and pressed the call button. The doors opened and the group got in. Ranfan pressed the button for the ninety-fourth floor and the lift moved steadily upward.
"Damn this thing!", Iria muttered, tugging at her kimono. "This thing is gorgeous, but does it have to be so tight?!" She tugged further at the crimson colored silk until Shiv reached over and smacked her hand.
Iria looked peeved, but Shiv smiled. "Don't blame me. I'm just trying to keep you from ruining a decent outfit."
Iria glared at the other huntress. Akira laughed. "Hey, she's doing you a favor. Who knows…you might have a need for something nice like that. You know…a dinner or something." And he looked meaningfully at Fujikuro. Fujikuro found something interesting on the wall to stare at.
*Okay…don't look…don't look,* he thought. *If I look…I'll start staring…and I don't want to do that…Yes, I do! No, I don't! Damn!*
Iria smoothed the material out and tucked her hands behind her back to avoid temptation. *Hm…Fujikuro seems awful nervous…and why do I get the feeling it's not 'cause of the mission…Now…what the hell did Akira mean by dinner? Did he mean…oh God…Fujikuro?! Hm…that'd be interesting…don't really suppose I'd mind…but still…No time to worry now; here's our floor.*
The three "courtesans" and their "bodyguards" stepped out of the elevator and strolled calmly into the office. The man behind the desk rose, grinning at the sight of Ranfan's friends. "Ah, my very dear Ranfan," Putubai said, smiling. Shiv held up her fan to hide her scowl and fluttered her eyelashes. Iria fought back a snicker. *It's so ridiculous, it's funny,* she mused.
"Now, Ranfan, who are your friends?", Putubai asked, oblivious to all of this.
Ranfan smiled demurely. "Oh, Putubai. Don't get ahead of yourself. Are the cameras off yet?"
Putubai nodded, almost over-enthusiastically. "Of course, my dear. I wouldn't want…any interruptions…"
Ranfan had difficulty containing her energy. "Now, Putubai. You want to know my friends, don't you? I thought for certain you'd recognize them." She shot a quick glance at Shiv, who nodded. Akira slung the blaster rifle off his shoulder and tossed it to Shiv. Iria pulled a small pistol from the folds of her kimono. Fujikuro readied his rifle at his shoulder. Akira drew his own pistol from a holster at his hip. Ranfan tipped her wrists so that two lethal looking knives slid from her sleeves and into her hands. The whole process took about ten seconds.
Putubai looked as though he was somewhere between screaming and hiding under his bed or wetting himself.
Shiv smiled. She untied the sash around her waist, letting it fall to the floor. She shrugged off the kimono, carefully switching the rifle back and forth between hands. Then, everyone could see that she had worn her trademark coat and regular hunting clothes under the kimono. Putting one foot up on Putubai's desk, she leered over his seated form, bring the rifle barrel up under his chin.
"So, Putubai," she murmured. "How's about you doing me and my friends a little favor, hm? Say…remove the bounties on Iria and Akira. And transfer half a million credits into the account number I'm about to give you. And be a good boy and die."
Putubai gasped. "You…you wouldn't! You wouldn't dare! You'd never get out alive!"
Shiv shrugged. "At this point, living means very little to me. I want them safe, my money, and your corpse. Other than that, I'll take things as they come. Now, my money." She removed the safety on the rifle. "I won't ask you again."
Putubai swallowed hard and began typing on his computer. "By the way," Shiv added, raising the rifle barrel so it pushed the man's head back uncomfortably, "if you're thinking of notifying the security, DON'T. I still have time to pull the trigger, hack the system, and get out before your hired morons get through the door."
Putubai tried to nod, but with the muzzle firmly wedged under his jaw, it was difficult. He continued to type, filled in the account number when Shiv ordered him to, and then removed the bounties on Iria and Akira. Shiv's mouth quirked at the corners. "Let's see, now," she mused. "That's two out of three. Only one thing left then."
Putubai closed his eyes and swallowed again. "Just make it quick, miss. I suppose I'm ready to die."
Shiv pulled the trigger.
*******
Haha!! Cliffhanger!! Suppose it's not the least evil thing I've done; considering this will be the first update in two months shy of a YEAR. *guilt pours off of her in waves* Between the Tori Amos and rereading all the reviews I felt guilty enough to post the other chapters I had waiting in the wings. Feel blessed.
I'm giving you guys not just chapter 6, but chapters 7-12. Who's the goddess?
Be warned, I've started chapter 13, but have no idea what the hell I'm going to do with it, or how I'll end the story, so be prepared for another chapter drought. See, I warned you.
I'll try and finish chapter 13, or at least hash out the rest of the plot. Thanks for not killing me.
Ja ne.
~Kat~
Rating: PG-13 - language, violence
Ghosts of the Past
Part 7: Infiltration
The following morning, three courtesans entered the Tedon Tippidai lobby, two of whom the guards had never had the pleasure of hitting on. They were accompanied by two bodyguards, neither of whom the secretaries had had the pleasure of flirting with. The entourage had reached the center of the lobby when the head of security walked up to them, smiling pleasantly. "Ah, Ranfan-san," he beamed. "A pleasure, as always. The ninety-fourth floor, I presume?"
Ranfan smiled back. "As always."
The man looked with interest at her companions. "And who are these fine young ladies and their gentlemen friends, Miss Ranfan?"
Ranfan unfolded the fan on a cord about her wrist and flicked it idly. "Oh, they are close friends of mine, whom I thought would like to…pay their respects to Mr. Putubai. The gentlemen are their bodyguards. You see, they had the misfortune of being victimized in the past and having no wish for it to happen again…" She let her voice trail off. "So, you see, the gentlemen must also accompany us to the ninety-fourth floor."
The man nodded. "As you wish, Miss Ranfan. You know Mr. Putubai's instructions were to allow you free rein with who went with you there. It was his…last wish, you could say."
Ranfan nodded. "Well…I do not suppose we should keep him waiting any longer. Good day to you, sir. Ladies?" She glided smoothly across the floor to lift number ten and pressed the call button. The doors opened and the group got in. Ranfan pressed the button for the ninety-fourth floor and the lift moved steadily upward.
"Damn this thing!", Iria muttered, tugging at her kimono. "This thing is gorgeous, but does it have to be so tight?!" She tugged further at the crimson colored silk until Shiv reached over and smacked her hand.
Iria looked peeved, but Shiv smiled. "Don't blame me. I'm just trying to keep you from ruining a decent outfit."
Iria glared at the other huntress. Akira laughed. "Hey, she's doing you a favor. Who knows…you might have a need for something nice like that. You know…a dinner or something." And he looked meaningfully at Fujikuro. Fujikuro found something interesting on the wall to stare at.
*Okay…don't look…don't look,* he thought. *If I look…I'll start staring…and I don't want to do that…Yes, I do! No, I don't! Damn!*
Iria smoothed the material out and tucked her hands behind her back to avoid temptation. *Hm…Fujikuro seems awful nervous…and why do I get the feeling it's not 'cause of the mission…Now…what the hell did Akira mean by dinner? Did he mean…oh God…Fujikuro?! Hm…that'd be interesting…don't really suppose I'd mind…but still…No time to worry now; here's our floor.*
The three "courtesans" and their "bodyguards" stepped out of the elevator and strolled calmly into the office. The man behind the desk rose, grinning at the sight of Ranfan's friends. "Ah, my very dear Ranfan," Putubai said, smiling. Shiv held up her fan to hide her scowl and fluttered her eyelashes. Iria fought back a snicker. *It's so ridiculous, it's funny,* she mused.
"Now, Ranfan, who are your friends?", Putubai asked, oblivious to all of this.
Ranfan smiled demurely. "Oh, Putubai. Don't get ahead of yourself. Are the cameras off yet?"
Putubai nodded, almost over-enthusiastically. "Of course, my dear. I wouldn't want…any interruptions…"
Ranfan had difficulty containing her energy. "Now, Putubai. You want to know my friends, don't you? I thought for certain you'd recognize them." She shot a quick glance at Shiv, who nodded. Akira slung the blaster rifle off his shoulder and tossed it to Shiv. Iria pulled a small pistol from the folds of her kimono. Fujikuro readied his rifle at his shoulder. Akira drew his own pistol from a holster at his hip. Ranfan tipped her wrists so that two lethal looking knives slid from her sleeves and into her hands. The whole process took about ten seconds.
Putubai looked as though he was somewhere between screaming and hiding under his bed or wetting himself.
Shiv smiled. She untied the sash around her waist, letting it fall to the floor. She shrugged off the kimono, carefully switching the rifle back and forth between hands. Then, everyone could see that she had worn her trademark coat and regular hunting clothes under the kimono. Putting one foot up on Putubai's desk, she leered over his seated form, bring the rifle barrel up under his chin.
"So, Putubai," she murmured. "How's about you doing me and my friends a little favor, hm? Say…remove the bounties on Iria and Akira. And transfer half a million credits into the account number I'm about to give you. And be a good boy and die."
Putubai gasped. "You…you wouldn't! You wouldn't dare! You'd never get out alive!"
Shiv shrugged. "At this point, living means very little to me. I want them safe, my money, and your corpse. Other than that, I'll take things as they come. Now, my money." She removed the safety on the rifle. "I won't ask you again."
Putubai swallowed hard and began typing on his computer. "By the way," Shiv added, raising the rifle barrel so it pushed the man's head back uncomfortably, "if you're thinking of notifying the security, DON'T. I still have time to pull the trigger, hack the system, and get out before your hired morons get through the door."
Putubai tried to nod, but with the muzzle firmly wedged under his jaw, it was difficult. He continued to type, filled in the account number when Shiv ordered him to, and then removed the bounties on Iria and Akira. Shiv's mouth quirked at the corners. "Let's see, now," she mused. "That's two out of three. Only one thing left then."
Putubai closed his eyes and swallowed again. "Just make it quick, miss. I suppose I'm ready to die."
Shiv pulled the trigger.
*******
Haha!! Cliffhanger!! Suppose it's not the least evil thing I've done; considering this will be the first update in two months shy of a YEAR. *guilt pours off of her in waves* Between the Tori Amos and rereading all the reviews I felt guilty enough to post the other chapters I had waiting in the wings. Feel blessed.
I'm giving you guys not just chapter 6, but chapters 7-12. Who's the goddess?
Be warned, I've started chapter 13, but have no idea what the hell I'm going to do with it, or how I'll end the story, so be prepared for another chapter drought. See, I warned you.
I'll try and finish chapter 13, or at least hash out the rest of the plot. Thanks for not killing me.
Ja ne.
~Kat~