Youji spent the next hour still tied by his hands, listening to Schuldich lay out the rules for this… "Mission"…He wondered, vaguely, whether it was possible for Schuldich to be vainer than he was, so often did he praise his own ingenious planning. Each time this thought crossed his mind; he was rewarded with a sharp stab of pain that let him know that Schuldich was still watching. The redhead was covering all the grounds. So far, he had picked up nothing useful in his escape or, for that matter, for his 'mission', Schuldich was simply telling him the rules, the weapon he would use, how he could best go about gaining what he wanted. He neither specified nor even hinted at what this item might be. Youji didn't even listen, most of the time. The only thing he gathered was that he would be using a handgun instead of his precious wire this time. He wondered when he would get it back.
Never
Was the telepathic response. Finally, Shuldich stopped talking. He walked up closer to his victim, sneering, looking up. Youji suppressed a shudder.
Now kitten.
He said sarcastically
Have I forgotten anything?
Youji didn't say a word, looking straight at his tormenter without emotion.
Ah yes…perhaps you might like to know what you're doing?
Schuldich's eyes narrowed.
But first I think we might want to make sure you actually follow the rules I've so carefully laid out for you, ne?
Youji tensed, waiting for the pain to hit. Schuldich was smarter that that. He waited for the brunette to relax again before he struck, and when he did it was with a vengeance that almost killed them both. Youji screamed. His body felt like it was being torn to shreds from the inside out, his head a vortex of blindingly bright color swirling nauseatingly in front of his half-closed eyes. Through the haze he saw Schuldich, quiet, but writhing, his hands to his temples, a grimace twisting his face into a horrid smile of pain. Then his sight was gone, and all he felt was the pain in his body, like a barbed dagger sliding slowly into his stomach, like his collarbone and ribs were contracting about his heart, broken and jagged. The knife though…it triggered a thought that he couldn't quite place. Why try, in this little fiery hell, to even think? He was brought around again with a mental and physical slap across the face. The pain practically evaporated around him, and he was left breathing heavily, eyes still closed. He felt Schuldich's hand sweep towards his face again, and wrenched it out of the way before it could connect. His eyes snapped open, glaring at the redhead, who was, curiously, grinning.
DON'T try to betray me.
Youji's lip twitched.
Now…
What was it? Something about a dagger…the one that he had seen when Schuldich had hurt him.
//It's mine.//
What?
//The dagger…it's mine//.
Schuldich?
The redhead didn't move.
//Nooooo…//
Youji frowned. What the hell was going on? This was not like telepath he had known…moments…ago…
Crawford?
//Congratulations, kitten//.
Brad, get the FUCK out of here.
Youji jumped. He felt himself cut out of the conversation suddenly, and saw Schuldich's half smile. That dagger…if it belonged to Crawford…He remembered the night he had been taken. The fight in the back streets, Snarling in resistance to Schuldich's mental torture, seeing Ken to his far left, and Aya, meters away, Crawford had picked Aya up by the collar of his shirt. Youji had seen the dagger drop into the Schwartz leader's palm, no doubt from a spring release sheath under his forearm. Youji had noticed Aya's twisted sneer of defiance, seen the katana rise from its limp position, dangling from the redhead's hand. But the dagger was faster. It was barbed. Yeah, it was the same one. He had leapt at the two, screaming, horror rising quickly that this would he the end of his leader, but Schuldich had chosen that moment to strike him a good blow, which knocked him hard onto the grungy cement. The last thing he had seen was the dagger entering Aya's side, and heard the redhead's screams. But it was the same dagger. Youji didn't know what it meant…whether this was something he could use against them, or whether it was something they could simply use to cause him more pain with. He hauled himself out of his thoughts abruptly when he realized Schuldich was done with Crawford's head and was swiftly turning his attention back to his prey. He had yet to find out what he was supposed to be doing.
Schuldich addressed it immediately.
As I was saying, kitten, before our little Bradykins interrupted so rudely, was…hmm…
Youji was still silent.
Well, what I want you to do is this. Nagi is out tonight.
The telepath grinned mischievously, reminding Youji of a playful cat.
No doubt, frolicking with his little lover, Omi, but that's beside the point.
Youji glared at Schuldich.
Omi would never sink to the little brat's levels.
Schuldich just laughed.
What I was trying to tell you, kitten, is that it's just me and you and Farfie tonight…and…of course our…'prey'…
Youji grimaced.
So this is going to have to be quick, and it's going to have to be tonight.
What do you want?
You are going to have to get into Brad's computer.
Isn't this a better job for Nagi…or even Omi? Why did you pick me?
Nagi would never betray his precious leader…and besides, I don't want him knowing about those files I want you to collect. And Omi… he simply wasn't available…besides. I like you better.
Youji had to suppress another shudder.
So why am I going to need a weapon?
Crawford is quite dearly in love with his little files…he has one guard…and unlike me, you can't fool the bastard's mind with telepathy.
You could do it for me.
What, and make your life easier? I don't think so, but nice try.
So if you can fool the guard, why not do it yourself?
Brad knows I'm out to get him. I'm the one person he DOES NOT want to have in possession with his precious files. He has all sorts of high-tech stuff that's triggered to go off if I so much as enter the room. Trust me, kitten I've thought of everything.
Fine.
Schuldich flicked a knife from inside his coat.
You may carry this.
And then from a place on his hip, hidden by the redhead's coat, a handgun, complete with silencer.
You will use this.
What does it matter what I use?
Crawford will recognize the cut his own dagger makes, don't you think? But if you use my gun, with my bullets, I'm sure he'll think it was me. Which is what we want...I enjoy making Bradykins angry.
Looking a little more closely, Youji recognized Crawford knife again…it was plaguing him.
It's all part of the torture, little kitten. We all know you cared for that foolish little redhead more than was healthy for you.
Youji wanted to kill him, and not for the first time. But Schuldich was reaching up for his bonds, and the dagger that hurt him, freed him. The tall assassin considered throwing himself at his tormenter, but decided against it when he noticed that the redhead was still carrying both weapons. Even when Youji took possession, he doubted he would be able to go anywhere near Schuldich, the other would simply turn his mind away…possibly simply kill him. Youji rubbed his wrists while Schuldich cut the ropes at his ankles, wincing as the salt from his fingers brushed light cuts from the bonds. Schuldich held out the knife when he was finished with it.
My apologies, kitten…there might be a little blood on it…it's stained pretty bad from last time it was used…
He sneered.
Did you know, Aya's blood seems to do that to steel.
Youji felt his expression change to one of grief, and he wondered if Aya had died in the fight from loss of blood, or if Omi and Ken had gotten to him in time enough to save him. A stab to the stomach was not one that would kill instantly. Schuldich shoved the gun into Youji's numb hands, careful not to touch him.
"Now, you might need to know how to get there…"
Schuldich trailed off. For some reason Youji had assumed that these files had been stored in the very building they were in, but he understood now that it didn't make sense. Schuldich paced to the door, opened it and grabbed Youji's coat from inside.
"It's been searched…there's nothing left of your possessions in there."
The brunette caught it as it was thrown to him and stashed the handgun in an inside pocket. Readjusting the jacket, he made it so that the bulge could not be seen from the outside. The knife he slipped up his right sleeve, positioning his hand for an easy release. He tested it several times. Finally he looked back up at his enemy. The enemy he was working for, he reminded himself. But that was beside the point right now. Schuldich was watching him.
"Shirtless in the city…won't you draw attention?"
Youji shrugged.
"I walk around like this all the time. Why stop now?"
Schuldich raised an eyebrow. He was holding a slip of paper. He handed it to Youji carefully.
"These are directions to the place…here"
He dug for a minute in his pocket and produced a set of keys, tossing them to Youji.
"You take the viper, your pretty little mustang's been pretty much totaled."
But you kill MY car, and I'll destroy you.
Youji looked at Schuldich expressionlessly.
He held the piece of paper between two fingers. God, he wished he had a cigarette. He felt incredibly tired, suddenly. Being tortured begins to wear on a guy sometimes.
"On the back of that paper…"
Schuldich gestured to the slip that Youji still held.
"Is the name of the file and how access it. There will be discs in the room. You need to put the files on the discs and bring them back here…and yes…I will be keeping a close watch on you kitten. One slip up…"
Youji got the point.
"Get out of here."
Schuldich waved his hand at the door absently.
"I expect you back in an hour or so."
Youji gave the other assassin the coldest, most hate-filled look he could summon, adding a slight sneer that made the redhead wince. Then he was gone out he door.

The room Schuldich had kept him in had been on the top floor of a three-story office building. Youji had taken the stairs four at a time, racing to the bottom. Sure enough, the Viper was parked outside. He unlocked it and climbed inside. Youji wasn't sure what had gotten into him. The vehemence, the confusion was gone from him, and in it's place hate and the desire to kill, anyone, if he couldn't get what he wanted. Schuldich's doing no doubt. He was almost…numb…Youji sighed and jammed the key in the ignition, feeling the powerful little car roar to life. With a squeal or protest from the brakes, he spun the wheel, spinning the car out of it's spot and onto the road, one hand on the steering wheel. He slammed his foot down on the accelerator. It was night; there was nobody on the roads anyway. The car was gone in a matter of minutes.
About the time the car disappeared around the corner, Schuldich was on the curb, having followed his prey from the room. He stood, silent on the sidewalk in front of the building. There was loud music playing across the street. The city wind blew his hair around his face, and he pushed it back with one hand.
Little kitten…you know I'd rather love you than hate you, but my conscience simply will not allow it.
Schuldich smirked to himself in the darkness of the street. In reality, that wasn't true, but he thought is was important to say anyway. The redhead shivered and pulled his trench coat closer around him, slipping back inside, a shadow wraith in the night.