Thank you all so much for your nice reviews! They certainly made me
want to
continue trying my hand at this! Thank you, Naomi Hunter, for the
explanation of the -kuns and -chans! I hadn't heard that before, and it'll
make using them easier : ) Also, I'll try to make my chapters longer, but
then again, it'll take longer to get them out. : ) . I'll find a balance in
there somewhere.
Well, only Mr. Nameless and whoever-she-is belong to me. No one else does. Not a one. Oh, if I get too out of character with anyone, don't hesitate to correct me! Thanks!
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"Missing!" the usually unflappable head of NG productions shouted into the phone. "How can he be missing!." Tohma calmed himself, sitting back down in the chair he had just jumped out of. He shook his head and spoke into the receiver to the chauffeur, "No, he must just have gone out." He frowned, "You did drop him off at home, and not somewhere else, last night, right?" Silence answered him. "Hello?" he asked.
"Uh, sir," a hesitant voice came back to him, "I didn't pick him up yesterday." The voice on the other end sounded frightened. "You never called, so I assumed you were giving him a ride home like usual." It was Tohma's turn for silence. "...sir?"
"Come here," was Tohma's flat reply, then he hung up the phone. His head felt light; he began to have a hard time breathing. He failed to protect another friend. He bit his lip, hard, to make himself focus on what he had to do. He pressed a button on his desk and spoke into the intercom, "Have K- san sent to my office, now." His voice held no hint of his usual false humor, his tone was completely serious. He picked up the phone once again and began making calls.
.........
K waved his gun at his charges, threatening their lives if they didn't continue practicing, before he headed to Tohma's office. There was something unusual about the way Tohma had called him, he couldn't really think of anything he had done recently to warrant such attention. His thoughts paused as he recalled some things he had done not *quite* recently, but simply shrugged, there was no way Tohma would have found out about *those*.
He knew something was terribly wrong when he entered the office to see a tightlipped Touma pacing back and forth. He stopped abruptly when K entered. "Ryuichi's been kidnapped." he deadpanned. K pulled his gun, sighting between Tohma's eyes, "That's not funny," the American growled.
............
Tohma ignored the threat. "I made some phone calls and have people out looking for him, but I want to keep this out of the media as long as possible." He walked back to his chair and sat down abruptly. He leaned forward and placed his elbow on the desk, face in his right hand, letting his left clench into a fist. "If only I had..." he trailed off, remembering so clearly the picture of Ryuichi making Kogomarou wave to him as the limo took him away. Tohma grimaced, but let his features relax slightly as he felt the American's hand rest on his shoulder.
"We will get him back, count on it." There was so much confidence in those words that Tohma actually did feel a little bit better.
"You're right." He stood up once more, feeling the comforting hand slide from his shoulder. He turned to look at K, and was taken aback by the deadly look in the man's eyes. It wasn't the usual, 'make one false move and I just might shoot you' look, it was more of a 'you might still be walking around, but you're already dead' kind of look. He wouldn't admit it, but he was glad it wasn't directed at him.
K directed his gaze to him once again. "So tell me everything you know." His eyes bore into Tohma, who found himself remembering details he hadn't even noticed. But just how that bunny's ear lay across his friend's hand really didn't give them any useful information for catching the kidnapper. The limo itself seemed exactly like the one always driven. But they couldn't even use that information as a clue since anyone could find out what it looked like. He couldn't believe that he hadn't said anything to the driver, but habit had just been too strong. He would never make that mistake again. Never.
The blond American threw himself onto the couch, absently knocking the gun against his knee as he looked lost in thought.
"Alright, so there's no information there," he paused, "let's think about this." He looked at Touma. "You called yesterday afternoon and left a message, on voice mail, his for his chauffer to pick him up outside this building that evening. Then your secretary," he tapped the gun barrel against his chin as he looked up at the ceiling, "who is new here," he looked thoughtful, but then waved his free hand as if in dismissal, "but that's not unusual either." He shook his head, getting his thoughts back on track. "Right, well, someone called your secretary who's probably only spoken with the usual chauffer a few times, and left a message that they would be there to pick up Ryuichi. But it wasn't the real chauffer who she spoke to, unless he's the one who actually did the kidnapping..well, skip that for now." The blond manager grimaced. "I'll look into it." He almost smiled. Touma felt a little sorry for his chauffeur, but if anyone could get to the bottom of this, it would be Crawd.
"So, it seems our best bet is to wait for the kidnapper to contact us. Only it's strange that he hasn't yet." K caressed his gun, worry playing across his features.
He stood up. "I'm going out, call me if anything changes." K left Tohma alone once again. He knew K had all sorts of connections and hoped he'd be able to come up with something. Before he could think of anything else to do, someone knocked on his office door. He called them in, thankful to find plain-clothed police; he had connections here too. He had them set taps on his phone, both cell and office, in case the kidnapper called. Then he set to discussing with them possible strategies for finding his abducted friend.
After the last detective left to question his secretary, the limo driver was already being questioned in a room somewhere, he sat down at his desk in the suddenly too-quiet room. Running feet passing by his door reminded him painfully of Ryuichi. He felt that at any moment the annoying, loving, eternally cheerful boy-man would burst through that door, leap over his desk in an impossible feat of acrobatics, land squarely in his lap, wrap his arms around him, and demand that he give Kumagorou a kiss because he was feeling sad. Tohma put his face in his hands, shutting his eyes tightly, wishing for all the world that he could do just that.
.............
Ryuichi opened his eyes, startled, when he heard the door open. He whimpered and closed his eyes tightly from the pain of a bright light as a switch was flipped. He heard the tell-tail *szzt* and sputter of a fluorescent light coming to life. He clutched the blankets to him, squinting his eyes. He wished he had his Kumagorou. He began to make out white walls, and a concrete floor. Once his eyes adjusted to the light he could see where paint had chipped away to reveal relatively smooth concrete beneath. He finally got up the courage to look around to see who had come in. A man stood in the door, just staring at him. He couldn't see his face, he was wearing some sort of mask painted white with four red diagonal slashes across it. Large eyeholes had been cut out. The expression they revealed made Ryuichi scoot back against the wall he had been laying near. He pulled the blankets up to his nose with his knees drawn in. He was too afraid to look away from the stranger, who regarded him so...hungrily.
............
He watched as the vocalist cringed back as he took a few steps into the room. He liked to wear hard boots, they made such satisfying sounds when they struck the solid cement floor. He grinned underneath the mask. Then he frowned, annoyed. He didn't want to wear the mask, but he had made a promise not to show this man his face. He decided to keep his word to her, for the time being. He pushed the thought aside and smiled hungrily once more at man who was trying to disappear into the wall.
"Who...who are you?" timidly stuttered the man on the floor. "What did you do with Kumagorou?" He asked, his voice only slightly stronger. Then, his voice quiet again, and his eyes wider, "What are you going to do with us?" The stranger smiled gleefully as he watched the lower lip of the vocalist start to tremble, his fingers nervously twitching the blanket he held to him. He could almost feel the terror radiating from his captive. He found himself chewing on his lower lip in anticipation. The he shook himself from his reverie, deciding to answer the man's questions--it was the polite thing to do, after all.
.......
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Ahh, that's sort of a cliff hanger, isn't it.. Sorry, it looks like it's just getting good too. Well, I'm sure the next chapter will answer a few questions, haven't written it yet, but I've got a few ideas. Oh, and I promise I won't let the mysterious 'she' ruin the story, kay! Hmm, do my homework...write the story...do my homework...write the story....hmmm...(inspects stem in hand). : D
Well, only Mr. Nameless and whoever-she-is belong to me. No one else does. Not a one. Oh, if I get too out of character with anyone, don't hesitate to correct me! Thanks!
*~***************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~****************~*
"Missing!" the usually unflappable head of NG productions shouted into the phone. "How can he be missing!." Tohma calmed himself, sitting back down in the chair he had just jumped out of. He shook his head and spoke into the receiver to the chauffeur, "No, he must just have gone out." He frowned, "You did drop him off at home, and not somewhere else, last night, right?" Silence answered him. "Hello?" he asked.
"Uh, sir," a hesitant voice came back to him, "I didn't pick him up yesterday." The voice on the other end sounded frightened. "You never called, so I assumed you were giving him a ride home like usual." It was Tohma's turn for silence. "...sir?"
"Come here," was Tohma's flat reply, then he hung up the phone. His head felt light; he began to have a hard time breathing. He failed to protect another friend. He bit his lip, hard, to make himself focus on what he had to do. He pressed a button on his desk and spoke into the intercom, "Have K- san sent to my office, now." His voice held no hint of his usual false humor, his tone was completely serious. He picked up the phone once again and began making calls.
.........
K waved his gun at his charges, threatening their lives if they didn't continue practicing, before he headed to Tohma's office. There was something unusual about the way Tohma had called him, he couldn't really think of anything he had done recently to warrant such attention. His thoughts paused as he recalled some things he had done not *quite* recently, but simply shrugged, there was no way Tohma would have found out about *those*.
He knew something was terribly wrong when he entered the office to see a tightlipped Touma pacing back and forth. He stopped abruptly when K entered. "Ryuichi's been kidnapped." he deadpanned. K pulled his gun, sighting between Tohma's eyes, "That's not funny," the American growled.
............
Tohma ignored the threat. "I made some phone calls and have people out looking for him, but I want to keep this out of the media as long as possible." He walked back to his chair and sat down abruptly. He leaned forward and placed his elbow on the desk, face in his right hand, letting his left clench into a fist. "If only I had..." he trailed off, remembering so clearly the picture of Ryuichi making Kogomarou wave to him as the limo took him away. Tohma grimaced, but let his features relax slightly as he felt the American's hand rest on his shoulder.
"We will get him back, count on it." There was so much confidence in those words that Tohma actually did feel a little bit better.
"You're right." He stood up once more, feeling the comforting hand slide from his shoulder. He turned to look at K, and was taken aback by the deadly look in the man's eyes. It wasn't the usual, 'make one false move and I just might shoot you' look, it was more of a 'you might still be walking around, but you're already dead' kind of look. He wouldn't admit it, but he was glad it wasn't directed at him.
K directed his gaze to him once again. "So tell me everything you know." His eyes bore into Tohma, who found himself remembering details he hadn't even noticed. But just how that bunny's ear lay across his friend's hand really didn't give them any useful information for catching the kidnapper. The limo itself seemed exactly like the one always driven. But they couldn't even use that information as a clue since anyone could find out what it looked like. He couldn't believe that he hadn't said anything to the driver, but habit had just been too strong. He would never make that mistake again. Never.
The blond American threw himself onto the couch, absently knocking the gun against his knee as he looked lost in thought.
"Alright, so there's no information there," he paused, "let's think about this." He looked at Touma. "You called yesterday afternoon and left a message, on voice mail, his for his chauffer to pick him up outside this building that evening. Then your secretary," he tapped the gun barrel against his chin as he looked up at the ceiling, "who is new here," he looked thoughtful, but then waved his free hand as if in dismissal, "but that's not unusual either." He shook his head, getting his thoughts back on track. "Right, well, someone called your secretary who's probably only spoken with the usual chauffer a few times, and left a message that they would be there to pick up Ryuichi. But it wasn't the real chauffer who she spoke to, unless he's the one who actually did the kidnapping..well, skip that for now." The blond manager grimaced. "I'll look into it." He almost smiled. Touma felt a little sorry for his chauffeur, but if anyone could get to the bottom of this, it would be Crawd.
"So, it seems our best bet is to wait for the kidnapper to contact us. Only it's strange that he hasn't yet." K caressed his gun, worry playing across his features.
He stood up. "I'm going out, call me if anything changes." K left Tohma alone once again. He knew K had all sorts of connections and hoped he'd be able to come up with something. Before he could think of anything else to do, someone knocked on his office door. He called them in, thankful to find plain-clothed police; he had connections here too. He had them set taps on his phone, both cell and office, in case the kidnapper called. Then he set to discussing with them possible strategies for finding his abducted friend.
After the last detective left to question his secretary, the limo driver was already being questioned in a room somewhere, he sat down at his desk in the suddenly too-quiet room. Running feet passing by his door reminded him painfully of Ryuichi. He felt that at any moment the annoying, loving, eternally cheerful boy-man would burst through that door, leap over his desk in an impossible feat of acrobatics, land squarely in his lap, wrap his arms around him, and demand that he give Kumagorou a kiss because he was feeling sad. Tohma put his face in his hands, shutting his eyes tightly, wishing for all the world that he could do just that.
.............
Ryuichi opened his eyes, startled, when he heard the door open. He whimpered and closed his eyes tightly from the pain of a bright light as a switch was flipped. He heard the tell-tail *szzt* and sputter of a fluorescent light coming to life. He clutched the blankets to him, squinting his eyes. He wished he had his Kumagorou. He began to make out white walls, and a concrete floor. Once his eyes adjusted to the light he could see where paint had chipped away to reveal relatively smooth concrete beneath. He finally got up the courage to look around to see who had come in. A man stood in the door, just staring at him. He couldn't see his face, he was wearing some sort of mask painted white with four red diagonal slashes across it. Large eyeholes had been cut out. The expression they revealed made Ryuichi scoot back against the wall he had been laying near. He pulled the blankets up to his nose with his knees drawn in. He was too afraid to look away from the stranger, who regarded him so...hungrily.
............
He watched as the vocalist cringed back as he took a few steps into the room. He liked to wear hard boots, they made such satisfying sounds when they struck the solid cement floor. He grinned underneath the mask. Then he frowned, annoyed. He didn't want to wear the mask, but he had made a promise not to show this man his face. He decided to keep his word to her, for the time being. He pushed the thought aside and smiled hungrily once more at man who was trying to disappear into the wall.
"Who...who are you?" timidly stuttered the man on the floor. "What did you do with Kumagorou?" He asked, his voice only slightly stronger. Then, his voice quiet again, and his eyes wider, "What are you going to do with us?" The stranger smiled gleefully as he watched the lower lip of the vocalist start to tremble, his fingers nervously twitching the blanket he held to him. He could almost feel the terror radiating from his captive. He found himself chewing on his lower lip in anticipation. The he shook himself from his reverie, deciding to answer the man's questions--it was the polite thing to do, after all.
.......
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Ahh, that's sort of a cliff hanger, isn't it.. Sorry, it looks like it's just getting good too. Well, I'm sure the next chapter will answer a few questions, haven't written it yet, but I've got a few ideas. Oh, and I promise I won't let the mysterious 'she' ruin the story, kay! Hmm, do my homework...write the story...do my homework...write the story....hmmm...(inspects stem in hand). : D