Disclaimer - If I owned Gluhen I would decrease the damn angst by 80%. As it is, I do not and therefore cannot.

This story takes place after Gluhen ends. I have not seen the episodes, but I have read synopses. Any mistakes I trust you will be kind about.

Afterglow

By Felflowne aka Espion

Chapter 7

Crisis averted…for now

Ken woke up, half expecting to see the now familiar pattern of sunlight through a wall grating.

As it was, he saw a green wall with a picture of a baby on it.

He was in Alishe's second bedroom, which she'd hastily cleared after taking him in three months ago. The baby was Alishe's little brother Naworu, he knew that from the name written under the picture, but Alishe never seemed to want to talk about him, and, being conscious of what it was like to be nagged, Ken dropped it.

He rolled out of bed and walked sleepily into the bathroom, only to emerge around ten minutes later ready to face the day.

Alishe was out today, he remembered her saying, but she'd only just left.

It was 9 o'clock, and she'd said she was going at quarter to. Maybe it had been her leaving that had woken him up.

He glanced up at the picture again, and noticed that the baby seemed to be missing a bit from the side of his left hand. He'd heard about that. It was a simple genetic defect. Otherwise the baby was worryingly cute.

**

He walked into the living room, and his sharp eyes caught sight of a piece of paper sticking out from under the sofa. He retrieved it and turned it over.

It was a map of a building, with all the exits marked in red, including some that weren't immediately obvious.

Alishe's neat scrawl had labelled some. Next to the fire escape outside what seemed to be a large room, she written - 'He must have gone this way before, disable it.'

This is… her mission…

And then he realised. He traced and retraced the shape of the building with his finger, running imaginary walkthroughs… Then he was sure. He stuffed the paper back under the sofa and grabbed his coat.

Alishe had gone to Kritiker.

**

Alishe was almost at her destination now. Her fingers closed around the spares she had inside her coat. She wouldn't risk going in unarmed again. This time she would be successful. No one would expect a hunter to attack during daytime, especially a hunter of the night.

She turned a corner.

**

Ken ran the whole way, thinking as he did that it was lucky he'd been able to keep reasonably healthy whilst inside, and therefore had only a little extra work to do once he got out.

He was catching up fast, he knew it, but he had to get ahead and apprehend her without her being suspicious. He knew this area well. Looking around, and not dropping below a sprint, he ducked into an alleyway and leapt over a wall.

**

They'll pay… Takatoris…think they're gods do they? That they can play with people's lives?

Her hand slipped into her pocket and pulled out her driving gloves. She pulled them on.

I left the old one alone… Shuichi… He did his best… he never did what Masafumi…

She almost gagged at the sound of his name.

…and this one…Mamoru. Playing with lives is one thing, but to do so without any kind of care or guilt…

Her eyes narrowed.

…and he…what he did to Ken…I can't stand to see him so broken…I'll get you, Takatori!

**

Ken had to stop to get his breath back. He'd managed it. He was ahead of Alishe by about a minute now, long enough to distract her from whatever she was doing.

Why would she be going to Kritiker? Somehow I don't think it'll be for a goodwill call. If she's trying to damage Kritiker she may hurt Mamoru.

He had his breath back, and stood up straight again.

And I can't let that happen.

He ducked behind a bush, ready to walk out innocently as Alishe passed.

**

Not far away, the Kritiker agent who was on surveillance that morning had been watching Ken for a while.

They reported the incident to Nagi when they spotted Alishe. He'd asked a while ago for agents to keep an eye out for her.

'Sir? That girl… Bengal. She's coming.'

Nagi was there almost immediately, and he and his subordinate watched what happened next.

**

Alishe had her eyes set on her goal, so she was totally unprepared when Ken walked into her. Indeed, she was so spooked she almost kebabbed him.

'Oh! Sorry!' cried Ken, then he said, 'Hey, Alishe! What are you doing in this part of town?'

What are you doing here? Alishe thought, but decided to play it cool.

'On my way to the bank,' she said, pointing.

'Cool, I need to go there too,' Ken said smiling, 'you wanna have a day in town?'

Damn… thought Alishe, I can hardly say no or he'll be suspicious since he now thinks I'm going to town anyway…

'Sure!' she said brightly, and they began to walk again, past the building in question and into the centre of town.

**

'She's been sighted around here several times in the last week, sir,' said the agent who had called Nagi, 'why is she showing such an interest?'

'She's a rogue assassin,' said Nagi.

The other agent spluttered, 'but she's only about five foot five! Are you su…?'

'Yes,' said Nagi.

Siberian had apprehended her on purpose and led her away. Does he still have loyalty to Kritiker? Or to Mamoru-sama? That kind of thing could land him in serious trouble.

**

Nagi told Mamoru about everything that had happened.

'I think she's after you, sir, and I think she's the one who broke in here a few months back.'

'I see,' said Mamoru, 'so what should we do?'

'I'm watching her as much as I can, but there's a kind of protection around her that makes it hard for me to trace her.'

'Can you break through it?'

'I'm not strong enough,' said Nagi, with a hint of regret.

'So she's out to kill me…' said Mamoru, his voice trailing off.

Well, she'll have her work cut out for her… I wonder why she's after me…

Nagi looked at the head of Weiss for a second.

She hunts those with no compassion in their soul.

*********************************************************************************************

Yeah Mamoru you heartless bastard!

Charlie: *cries* Don't you say that to him! *strokes Mamoru's hair*

Well he's alright, but when he goes into his 'I'm a politician and I have no feelings' mindset I just see red. Hmph.