CHAPTER TWO: No Reason

"Don't you have any more information, Manx?" asked Aya.

"No," she replied. "We went to get the surveillance tapes after the fact but they had either been taken or destroyed by those girls. No one was picked up by the police regarding the incident. Everyone who would have seen them is dead. Except for you."

"Then, how in the hell are we going to find those girls?" wondered Youji.

"Well," Omi said. "What exactly do we know about them? How many could there be? I know you and Ken each had a run-in with one. Did they say anything?"

"She said they were called Katzen. She said they knew who we are," Ken said, thinking hard.

Youji grumbled, "I didn't see the girl who hit me. All I saw was a body in a pile of rubble. Then it kicked me!"

"Could it have been just those two, then?" asked Omi.

"I don't know," said Ken. "If one was with me in the vent and another was down in the ballroom with Youji, then who killed the targets? They were nowhere near there."

"True. There would have to be at least three. One in the vents, one in the ballroom, one who went after the targets and I'd guess they have a look- out as well," Omi said.

"Yeah, I agree. It was obvious they were inexperienced but they didn't seem stupid," Ken said.

"Sounds a little like a Weiss copy-cat group," Manx declared. "They said they know who you are. Maybe you have influenced them as well. We'll do some research of our own and get back to you with any new information. Meanwhile, you guys do some research of your own and try to remember anything about them. Anything at all. I'll contact you again shortly."

With that, Manx left, leaving the Weiss boys wondering exactly what their next move would be.

* * *

The same morning before the store opened, Maki, Yuko, Makoto and Leela were pondering their next move as well. Makoto had called a meeting for early that morning. Now they were seated in their small living room in their apartment above the pet store, wondering just what they were going to do. They knew Weiss would be looking for them. They also knew they should probably looking for Weiss. The question was where to start.

"Um...," started Yuko. "He was tall. I had to kick really high to hit him in the face. But I got out of there before I could get a good look."

"Did he see you?" asked Leela.

"I don't think so," Yuko responded. "I think I caught him off guard."

"I could barely see the guy in the vent. He had goggles on, too. I couldn't see his face. There were at least two other guys there. I heard them on the headset," said Maki, nervously.

"That means we've come in contact with two of them and that leaves one unaccounted for," stated Makoto. "Although, all the information I've ever heard has said Weiss is a foursome. Where's the other guy?"

"Incapacitated. Or else he just didn't go, I guess," said Leela.

"Incapacitated? Like he was injured or something?" asked Maki.

Makoto agreed. "That's a possibility. But who knows? Did vent-boy say anything else to you, Maki?"

"Not really," Maki replied slowly. "He just asked me who were are."

"What'd you tell him?" asked Yuko.

"Katzen and that we didn't work for anyone but ourselves. That's it," she answered. "I didn't know how much I should say."

"Good call," replied Leela. "I think."

"Probably," agreed Makoto. "We have to keep our eyes open though. Any detail about what happened last night might lead them to us. They have better means to do research on us than we do. But I'll check online for any information. And, Maki, Yuko, if you remember anything about last night, you have to tell the rest of us right away. We can't be too cautious."

* * *

Omi walked into the sitting room where Ken was watching TV and Youji was sprawled over a chair, sleeping. Omi sighed heavily, "Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"Dammit," Ken swore.

Youji opened his eyes, groggily, "Are you sure?" he asked.

"I've looked up Katzen. We don't know their names and we don't have their descriptions. There's nothing about Katzen anywhere. I can't think of anything else to look for!" cried Omi, frustrated. "There aren't even any reports of a four-girl gang or anything similar."

"Well, we can't really worry about this now. It's time to open the flower shop," said Ken.

"You guys go ahead," replied Omi. "I want to keep looking. You don't mind, do you?"

"Nah, no problem," said Youji.

"Good luck," added Ken. "We'll see you in a bit." Then they were gone and Omi went back to work.

* * *