Chapter 4 - Severe

19th of June, ac197. Police Hq, L1. 8:51pm L1 Time.

After ordering take-away from Heero's apartment, (and eating it of course) the five of them, Devil and Angel deciding to continue to help, stealthily made their way into the Police HQ. Heero, moving as a shadow, did…. something to the security cameras with his laptop which made them all shut off. They continued on, Angel and Devil, flying low over the roof, so as not to be seen. They weren't supposed to be there. Heero, Duo and Wufei just walked in. They were well enough known, in the two days they had been there, that the guards just let them in.

"Stupid." muttered Duo. "They don't even realize that the cameras are down." When they reached their assigned office, they saw a standoff. Devil and Angel were there, but so was Julia…. but it wasn't the Julia they had seen before. If the brothers had wanted to kill her, she would have been dead by now, but…. They didn't know whether or not she was important, and they were just a little worried about the fully-charged particle gun she was pointing at them. Untrained, emotional, and in seemingly a sadistic frame of mind, she was probably one of the most mindlessly dangerous beings on the planet and it's colonies at that point in time.

"So…. two Master Assassins, scared of little ol' me? Bwehehehe…. Not so tough after all, are we, freaks?" Devil's eyes hardened. He wasn't going to deal with her for much longer. If something wasn't done soon….

Heero threw a couple of darts into her. She collapsed soundlessly.

"Tranqs?" Asked Angel. Heero nodded the affirmative.

"What are you going to do with her?" Devil looked positively vicious.

"We're in the police HQ. There's plenty of cells."

"Don't you need to charge her?" Asked Duo

"Yeah."

"What's she done wrong?"

"In possession of a particle weapon without a license."

"But she has got a license." Duo pointed to the license-plate. "See?" Devil ripped it off.

"Not anymore, she doesn't." Duo was annoyed.

"That's cheating."

"Who said there were rules?" Duo just glared at him, and helped Heero move the unconscious Julia, They were back five minutes later, Julia-free.

"So…. what do we do now?" Asked Duo

"We see what other evidence there is."

"How do we get it? Wouldn't Julia be in charge of everything?"

"Yes."

"So whadda we do?"

"We get the people who do all the real work around here to tell us what they know."

"Yeah, but it's 9:00. They aren't going to be happy."

"They aren't paid to be happy."

"Yeah, but-"

"Fine! Have it your way! Again. What is wrong with getting some sleep?" Heero ignored him, and left - presumably to ring the people.

Half an hour later, the office was full of people. Devil and Angel had disappeared - but were definitely within earshot. Duo had been 'elected' spokesperson.

"I'm really sorry to bring you here so late." He said. "It wasn't actually my idea." He glared at Heero.

"It's ok. It happens all the time." said one of the guys. "I'm Takahashi Heeroyuki, but everyone calls me Yuki."

"Pleased to meet you, Yuki. I'm Duo Maxwell. Everyone calls me Duo." He glances at Wufei. "Well, nearly everyone, anyway. What we want is all the information you have on Carl Jackson's assassination. All of it." Yuki looked regretful.

"I'm sorry, we can't give you that information. You'd have to ask the Boss. I'm sorry."

"Listen, Yuki, your Boss-Lady is currently in jail. And we need that information. Now."

"You're kidding…."

"Not on your life."

"How? Why?"

"In possession of a particle weapon without a license."

"What! You mean she actually used that thing?!?" Said one of the girls.

"You knew she had it?"

"Yeah, she was always threatening us with it…. but it was all talk."

"You sure about that? I saw her with it, and she definitely would have killed people, if she'd had the chance."

"Oh, really? I didn't think she'd have it in her. I'm Nayuta, by the way."

"Nice to meet you. Anyway, since she's…. indisposed, could you please tell us everything?" He gave his best winning smile.

"Well…." She sighed. "I suppose. There isn't really much, anyway."

"Every little bit counts."

Meanwhile, Devil and Angel had decided to do some information gathering of their own. Silently gliding along the roof of the colony, they managed to stay pretty much out of sight. Then the worst thing possible happened - they turned on the rain. Not being able to read, they never knew the rain timetable, and were always at risk of being caught out. As they were then. Their wings weren't designed to get wet - they got soaked almost immediately. And soaked wings didn't fly. Unfortunately, they were still above L1's better part of town. They only had a split-second to act but it was all they needed. Devil, (whose wings were slightly better in the wet), grabbed his brother's arm and they flew, Devil half-dragging Angel, up to where the rain was coming from - a series of pipes - if they could make it up there, they could dry off and wait for the rain to stop. But it was not to be. The rain began to get heavier, rendering Angel's wings totally useless, and Devil's not much better. In a desperate last-ditch attempt, he glided them to the colonies' wall, Devil's caws sticking into the sides. Even so, it was not enough, their combined weight dragging them downwards. That's when Angel spotted it - a door in the middle of the wall? Although it was about 1000m above the colonies' floor, there it was. Hating to do it, but knowing he had no choice, Angel drew his two best knives, and slammed them into the wall. Using all the skill he possessed, he used them to get across to the door, swinging on one while moving the other across. The door, surprisingly, had no lock on it, just an open button. Odd. Devil, meanwhile, without the added weight of his brother, was able to cling to the wall, and moved towards the door much the same as his brother had. They arrived at the same time, wet, cold and miserable. Having no better option, Angel pressed the open button. It was dark inside, but that was okay. Their golden eyes were gold for a reason. Darkness didn't faze them at all.

They entered cautiously. There didn't seem to be anything in the room. They sat down, flapping their wings a bit to dry them off. Angel sighed.

'My knives are totaled.' He signed, dejectedly.

'You have others on you.'

'Yes, but these were my best. Gundanium coating.'

'Ah. Those.'

'Yes. Worth it after all.'

'Perhaps.'

'What else could get through the colony wall?'

'Me.'

'You don't count. You know that.'

'Thanks.'

'No problem.' Devil deathglares Angel, who, typically, just smiles. Just then, a panel in the back of the room slid open. They were upright and had weapons ready within half a second.

"Ah, I though I heard something." Said a figure, stepping into the room.

"So what you're saying is all we've got is a knife fragment, a black thread and a dead person?" Asked Duo.

"Yes." Replied Heero.

"So how're we gonna get this guy! We've got practically no evidence!"

"Exactly." Duo blinks. "There's only a handful of assassins in the Breaks who can take on someone like Jackson, get him somewhere he wasn't supposed to be, make it look like it was one of two other master assassin groups, and only have minimal traces."

"Oh." Said Duo.

"Which are?" Asked Wufei.

"Devil and Angel, Viper when he isn't scared shitless, myself -"

"You!?" Duo exclaims

"Yes, and the Nightshadow."

"The Nightshadow? Who's that?"

"Only the most elusive, exclusive and deadliest assassin in the Breaks."

"Oh. And I s'pose this is the one we have to go after?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Damn. Well, I s'pose we'd better get in over with."

The figure who walked through the door was old. That was obvious. His hair was gray with age, his face worn, his gait slow and deliberate. He wore loose, gray clothes, and had fur all over his body. His ears were pointed, he had a muzzle instead of a nose. His feet were wolfish, and his eyes were gold.

Devil and Angel stared at him in amazement. He stared back, eyes flicking from one to the other. Tension filled the air.

"Who are you?" He asked softly.

"We could ask you the same question." replied Angel, in like.

I am called Wolfgang." he slightly inclined his head.

"I am Angel, and this is Devil."

"Why are you here?"

"We didn't feel like dying."

"Someone is after you?"

"No, it's raining."

"Yes. 2100 hours à 0200 hours every three and a half years, western region. That does not explain your presence."

"It does when you're about 1000m above the colony floor with soaked wings."

"Ah." He turned. "Well, you are welcome to come in, if you wish. It is warmer." He entered whence he came.

'canwetrusthim' Asked Devil.

'yesheispowerfullbutpeacfull hewillnotharmus'

'sure'

'yes' The duo put away their weapons, and warily entered the second room.

It was hot. Wings began to steam immediately, and wet-but-drying-feathers smell began to war with warm fur smell. There was a big fireplace on one wall, a kitchenette on another a big, well used leather couch and various rugs strewn about the place. Wolfgang was at the kitchenette making something.

"I thought you'd come in. Would you like some hot chocolate?"

"We don't want to impose."

"Not at all. Here." He gave them a cup each.

"Thank-you."

"Not at all. Is there anything else I can do?"

"Unless you know another way down, no."

"There are plenty of ways down. Here, I'll show you." He opened another door, leading to a set of stairs. Devil and Angel followed, only stopping to put their untouched hot chocolates back on the kitchenette. They went down a set of stairs, and into a similar room. On a coffee table there were three weapons. An old viper laser-gun, deluxe, rechargeable, sniper version, a broken knife, and a glove with three small blades, almost -but not quite - the same distance apart as Devil's, which was covered in blood.

"Shit." Wolfgang turned around, clearly confused.

"Wolfgang, who's room is this?"

"Nightshadow's, why?"

"Fuck! The Nightshadow!" Swore Devil.

"You know her?"

"Her? It's a she?"

"Yeah…."

"Do you know where she went?"

"Yes."

"Can you tell us?"

"Why should I?"

"Because she tried to set me up." Wolfgang looked confused again. Devil raised his hand, and flexed his fist, revealing his claws.

"Ah. Well, uh, I'm not really supposed to tell anyone."

"Nice gun." remarked Angel, who was fiddling with it. "Well looked after." Wolfgang stared at him in shock.

"You know how to use it, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Please don't hurt me."

"Why would I?"

"Because you can?"

"Don't be stupid." Wolfgang, supposedly over his shock, sighed.

"I'll tell you what she said. You seem decent people."

"Depends on your idea of decent."

"She said she was going to see someone called Dart, to finish some business." The brothers swore so violently that Wolfgang's fur nearly flew off in shock. He backed up a step.

"Sorry," said Angel, "but Dart is a friend of ours."

"Oh."

"Did she say when?"

"No."

"Where?"

"Yes."

"Could you please tell us?"

"I'll show you. I'm much faster than I look."

"Thank-you. I don't know how to repay you. We are in your debt."

"Don't pay me back. Pay it forward."

"As you wish." They left the room, but the three weapons were gone. The time was ten past ten, L1 time.

19th of June, ac197. The Breaks, L1. 10:44pm L1 Time.

They arrived outside one of the better bars in the Breaks. Better as in the blood was cleaned up, fights with weapons disallowed, and the whores weren't totally blatant, and quite good looking. A bar like this drew the richer people in the Breaks - Master Assassins, and the better good ones, small time drug-cartel lords, the better thieves, though they usually had their own Guild bars, and a few of the 'best' prostitutes, when they weren't working. Such a place always had a few customers, even around noon, when most of the inhabitants of the Breaks were resting. Devil was, on occasions, one of it's customers. It wasn't his favourite place , but it was okay. None of the bars had names, word got around if you were wanted there.

Wolfgang gingerly stepped inside. It wasn't his kind of place. Devil followed, and Angel came last - it wasn't his type of place, either. He was the only resident in the Breaks that wasn't hooked on something; he had been given a sense to detect poison, and to him, almost everything for sale in the Breaks reeked of it.

The bar was totaled. Every piece of furniture was in pieces, the floor was covered in broken glass, various types of alcohol, bodies, some dead, some nearly dead. The only undamaged thing was, ironically, the barkeeper, leaning against the remains of his bar.

"Ho, Devil, can I get you anything?"

"Cut the crap, Fonz. Wot 'appened?" Something in his gaze made the barkeeper very talkative.

"Well, there waz dis girl, y'know, what come in, kinda pretty looking, some of the boys, right, is thinking she's a slut, and makes their move, wantin' a good time, right?"

"Right."

"But then, bam! She nails three of them, get that, three in one shot. Wicked fighter, man, wicked. Anywayz, rest of them that wanted a shot, they all fall back, not wantin' t' be next, unnerstan'ab'ly. Well, now she sayz her name iz Nightshadow, an' she wants -"

"Nightshadow?" Devil raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but not as in the Nightshadow, o'course. But anywayz, she sayz she wants to speak with Dart, you know Dart, right?"

"Right."

"And anywayz, I tell 'er that, 'well Dart ain't around anymore, alright?' And she sayz, 'Well, he'll be here. Put th' word around.' And I sayz well, it's gonna cost ya.' And she says sure, and payz me, an' I put the word around, right, an' whaddya know, 'alf an hour later, Dart hisself shows up, an he's got these two guyz with 'im, y'know, ones wot's Chinese, and one wot's got this huge braid down iz back, musta bin over a metre long! Looked a bit like a girl, but, right, y'know how Dart's got dem freaky eyes, that are like blank? Y'know them? Well, they both had 'em! Et was freaky, man, freaky. And anywayz, the girl, she goes up to Dart, right, an' she says 'Glad y' could make et.' and Dart is like 'So you're Nightshadow.' An they go an' sit in th' corner table an' talk, right, and I don't hear what they're sayin' coz' I'm busy servin', man, an' anywayz, the braid boy comes up to th' bar an' orders one of the strong stuff, an' o'course, I gives it to 'im, an' 'e drinks et like et woz water, man! 'E woz the freakiest guy I ever met, an' I've met heaps, y'know. But anywayz, after, about, say, 10 minutes? a fight breaks out, not like wot usually 'appens, but wiv weapons, dat girl, she had dis gun wot shoots yellow beams, an' Dart wiv iz darts, o'course, an' a gun, an' da Chinese guy wiv dis big sword, dunno where 'e got et from, an' da braid guy, 'e draws a gun too, an says 'Shinigami ez back from hell!', an' I'm like, none of that shit in 'ere, and dey're like ignoring me, but, like, all my stuff ez gettin' an' moi customer's ez getting' hurt, even killed if'n dey ezn't fast 'nough! So I sez 't get out, an' I'm like yeah, so den dey're still 'gnorin' me, da braid-guy es like yeah, so den dey left, man. But et woz already too late f' d bar, y'know. Life's a bitch, 'ay?"

"Yeah. An' den y' die. 'ow long ago woz dis?"

"'bout, say, 5 minutes?"

"Thanks, man. I'll be back later wiv your money, right?"
"Right." The three left the bar.

"That was disgusting." Said Angel

"Right now we need to find Dart."

"Yes."

"Wings dry?"

"Yes, finally."

"Let's go. Thank-you very much, Wolfgang. If there is anything we can do…."

"I don't like Nightshadow. If I can somehow lead to her demise, it is my pleasure. I hope to see you two again." Wolfgang smiled, lighting up his aged face, and he left, somehow blending into the street. The brothers stepped into a side street, and quickly and silently flew onto the roof.

'whichwaydoyouthinktheywent'

'howaboutthatway' Devil pointed to a street that was near-deserted, except for four people - Dart, Wufei, Duo as well as a girl in black - the Nightshadow.

'Whatllwedo' asked Devil

'ihaveanidea' grinned Angel, and held up the Nightshadow's deluxe, rechargeable, sniper-version ancient viper. Devil grinned back, and the two flew to a roof nearby. Angel set the gun up, aimed, and fired.