CHAPTER EIGHT: Beautiful Alone
"Shhhh!" Omi shushed Youji and Ken, nervously. "What if Aya-kun is home? He'll wonder where we've been!"
Youji patted Omi's head and said, "don't worry about that. He's visiting Aya-chan in the hospital tonight."
The three members of Weiss stepped into their kitchen and flipped on the light.
Sitting at the kitchen table, a mug of coffee in his hands, was Aya.
"I cut the visit with my sister a little short tonight," he said without looking up. "I thought I would come home early and relax before the mission. I was pleasantly surprised to see you had all gone out."
He looked up at them, then, his eyes burning. "And where did you go tonight, I wonder?"
"Nowhere," Omi insisted. "I mean, we saw a movie! A short movie."
Aya stood then and walked over to them. "You've broken your word," he said in a low voice that would give Hitler chills. "If they show up tonight, you can bet I won't break mine."
And then he turned and walked away.
* * *
"Can I come in, Ken?" Youji asked his solemn partner from the door to Ken's bedroom.
"Sure," Ken answered, not bothering to turn over and face Youji.
The lanky assassin walked across the room and plopped down on Ken's bed.
"Haven't we been over this?" Youji immediately asked. "Haven't we figured out that it doesn't pay to fall in love?"
At that, Ken turned over and smirked. "It's different this time, Youji. She's not some innocent girl who I could accidentally hurt. She has as much blood on her hands as I do. Youji.I've passed up on love before because of my job. No, more like because of who I am. I'm not doing it this time. I can't."
Youji sighed and patted his friend on the shoulder. "Then hold on to her and never let go."
With that, Youji stood and left the room, closing Ken's door softly behind him.
* * *
It was hot and stuffy in the vents of Ungai's headquarters.
Maki was sweating as she placed button bombs squarely throughout the complex. At times like these she wished she wasn't the smallest and most compact member or Katzen.
"How's it coming?" a voice asked through her headset. "Fine," Maki whispered back to Makoto, "I'm circling the perimeter."
Far above Maki, on the rooftops, Yuko stood watching and waiting. And far below, in the basement of Unagi headquarters, Leela was preparing her attack. Makoto skulked around the main floor, hunting down their computer so that she could plant a virus that would level all communication between Unagi headquarters and all their offshoots. Then, they would detonate Maki's bombs, destroying the headquarters itself. Tonight was the culmination of all they had worked towards for four years. It was their hope that tonight would be the night Unagi was finally destroyed.
* * *
On the other side of the city, Weiss also prepared for their mission. Youji, Ken and Aya were prepared and ready to go. Omi was setting up communication devices so he could speak with them. He had the blueprints and other detailed information about Unagi's headquarters on his computer. Still injured, he was unable to go but would be navigating for them during their search for the target. Manx had come to them this morning with this plan. It was so soon after Unagi's attack at the festival, Kritiker thought now would be the best time to attack while Unagi was still vulnerable.
"Here," Omi said, handing each of the other assassins an earpiece and a small microphone. "I'll be able to communicate with you this way. You guys better go."
Aya, Ken and Youji each took one and but it in place, then left the flower shop and rode away in Aya's car. Staring after them for a moment, Omi then turned to the pet shop. There was no sign of movement from within and no light was coming from the upper floor. He hoped they'd just gone to bed early that night.
* * *
"The bombs are in place and ready to go," Maki said softly into her headset.
"I haven't had a run-in with any members of Unagi yet," came Makoto's response. "I don't think they know we're here. Leela, what's your status?"
"Ready and waiting for your signal," Leela whispered. "Yuko?" No answer. "Yuko?" she said again.
Yuko hesitated, "We.we have company. I think."
"What do you mean?" asked Makoto.
"Weiss is here," Yuko said. "I saw them at the perimeter. Youji, Ken and Aya. They went three separate directions. I can't tell where they're going."
"Dammit!" Maki swore. "What the hell are they doing here?"
"They same thing we are, I imagine," Leela replied. "Just try to stay out of their way. We don't want to get killed before we finish this, do we?"
Makoto added, "Keep going. Don't let Weiss being here distract you from what we came here to do."
"Right," Yuko and Maki agreed simultaneously.
Yuko crouched down as far as she could into the shadows, hoping that Weiss wouldn't see her. She then began slowly creeping along the roof and towards the stairs leading down into the complex. She and Leela would attack from the top and bottom, respectively, and take out the leader of Unagi once and for all.
Leela had just stepped onto the first floor landing when she heard the voices. Turning slowly, she saw two members of Unagi walking towards her. They couldn't have spotted her yet in the darkness, but in a moment they would. Thinking quickly, Leela scurried over to the nearest window and dangled herself over the edge, holding on to the sill. Even if she fell, it would only be one story. She just hoped that the members of Unagi didn't decide to close the window.
They passed her. Leela let out the breath she had been holding and pulled herself back into the complex. So far, so good.
* * *
Makoto reached the second floor and finally discovered her target.
The large computer sat against the far wall of a desolate room by an emergency power generator. Apparently, they relied very much on their computer to store information on their members, drug deals, and coordinate their attacks.
A slightly evil smile lit Makoto's face. She was going to enjoy this very much.
Stepping lightly into the room, the second eldest member of Katzen made her way over to the computer, sat down, and began preparing to upload the virus.
* * *
Maki dropped to the ground from her place in the vents.
Coming out on the third floor, she planned to head to the roof and wait for the other girls to meet her. Then they would scale down the side of the building like bats outta hell before Maki detonated the bombs.
She did not expect a hand to reach out of the darkness and clasp hard over her mouth. She also did not expect to get dragged into a nearby room, the door closed and the latch thrown.
"We have to stop meeting like this," came a voice in her ear. Maki's muscles relaxed and her capture released his grip on her.
She couldn't see him in the darkness, but she knew Ken was angry with her.
"Ken" she whispered, "Tonight is the night we've planned for four years. Please don't tell Aya. Please just let us do what we came to do."
She heard him sigh, and felt his hand on her arm.
"I won't tell Aya." He assured her. "But we plan on blowing this place all to hell.so you girls have to leave. Bottom line." His grip on her arm tightened.
"Dammit, Ken" she hissed, "We're going to blow this place up, too! I've already planted the bombs! I think it would be best for you guys to get outta here."
"OK, here's the plan," Ken said after a few moments. "You coordinate with us. Let us know when you guys are ready, and then we'll all leave."
"Together?" Maki asked, a touch of hesitance in her voice.
"Yes," Ken promised, leaning in to kiss her, "Together."
"Shhhh!" Omi shushed Youji and Ken, nervously. "What if Aya-kun is home? He'll wonder where we've been!"
Youji patted Omi's head and said, "don't worry about that. He's visiting Aya-chan in the hospital tonight."
The three members of Weiss stepped into their kitchen and flipped on the light.
Sitting at the kitchen table, a mug of coffee in his hands, was Aya.
"I cut the visit with my sister a little short tonight," he said without looking up. "I thought I would come home early and relax before the mission. I was pleasantly surprised to see you had all gone out."
He looked up at them, then, his eyes burning. "And where did you go tonight, I wonder?"
"Nowhere," Omi insisted. "I mean, we saw a movie! A short movie."
Aya stood then and walked over to them. "You've broken your word," he said in a low voice that would give Hitler chills. "If they show up tonight, you can bet I won't break mine."
And then he turned and walked away.
* * *
"Can I come in, Ken?" Youji asked his solemn partner from the door to Ken's bedroom.
"Sure," Ken answered, not bothering to turn over and face Youji.
The lanky assassin walked across the room and plopped down on Ken's bed.
"Haven't we been over this?" Youji immediately asked. "Haven't we figured out that it doesn't pay to fall in love?"
At that, Ken turned over and smirked. "It's different this time, Youji. She's not some innocent girl who I could accidentally hurt. She has as much blood on her hands as I do. Youji.I've passed up on love before because of my job. No, more like because of who I am. I'm not doing it this time. I can't."
Youji sighed and patted his friend on the shoulder. "Then hold on to her and never let go."
With that, Youji stood and left the room, closing Ken's door softly behind him.
* * *
It was hot and stuffy in the vents of Ungai's headquarters.
Maki was sweating as she placed button bombs squarely throughout the complex. At times like these she wished she wasn't the smallest and most compact member or Katzen.
"How's it coming?" a voice asked through her headset. "Fine," Maki whispered back to Makoto, "I'm circling the perimeter."
Far above Maki, on the rooftops, Yuko stood watching and waiting. And far below, in the basement of Unagi headquarters, Leela was preparing her attack. Makoto skulked around the main floor, hunting down their computer so that she could plant a virus that would level all communication between Unagi headquarters and all their offshoots. Then, they would detonate Maki's bombs, destroying the headquarters itself. Tonight was the culmination of all they had worked towards for four years. It was their hope that tonight would be the night Unagi was finally destroyed.
* * *
On the other side of the city, Weiss also prepared for their mission. Youji, Ken and Aya were prepared and ready to go. Omi was setting up communication devices so he could speak with them. He had the blueprints and other detailed information about Unagi's headquarters on his computer. Still injured, he was unable to go but would be navigating for them during their search for the target. Manx had come to them this morning with this plan. It was so soon after Unagi's attack at the festival, Kritiker thought now would be the best time to attack while Unagi was still vulnerable.
"Here," Omi said, handing each of the other assassins an earpiece and a small microphone. "I'll be able to communicate with you this way. You guys better go."
Aya, Ken and Youji each took one and but it in place, then left the flower shop and rode away in Aya's car. Staring after them for a moment, Omi then turned to the pet shop. There was no sign of movement from within and no light was coming from the upper floor. He hoped they'd just gone to bed early that night.
* * *
"The bombs are in place and ready to go," Maki said softly into her headset.
"I haven't had a run-in with any members of Unagi yet," came Makoto's response. "I don't think they know we're here. Leela, what's your status?"
"Ready and waiting for your signal," Leela whispered. "Yuko?" No answer. "Yuko?" she said again.
Yuko hesitated, "We.we have company. I think."
"What do you mean?" asked Makoto.
"Weiss is here," Yuko said. "I saw them at the perimeter. Youji, Ken and Aya. They went three separate directions. I can't tell where they're going."
"Dammit!" Maki swore. "What the hell are they doing here?"
"They same thing we are, I imagine," Leela replied. "Just try to stay out of their way. We don't want to get killed before we finish this, do we?"
Makoto added, "Keep going. Don't let Weiss being here distract you from what we came here to do."
"Right," Yuko and Maki agreed simultaneously.
Yuko crouched down as far as she could into the shadows, hoping that Weiss wouldn't see her. She then began slowly creeping along the roof and towards the stairs leading down into the complex. She and Leela would attack from the top and bottom, respectively, and take out the leader of Unagi once and for all.
Leela had just stepped onto the first floor landing when she heard the voices. Turning slowly, she saw two members of Unagi walking towards her. They couldn't have spotted her yet in the darkness, but in a moment they would. Thinking quickly, Leela scurried over to the nearest window and dangled herself over the edge, holding on to the sill. Even if she fell, it would only be one story. She just hoped that the members of Unagi didn't decide to close the window.
They passed her. Leela let out the breath she had been holding and pulled herself back into the complex. So far, so good.
* * *
Makoto reached the second floor and finally discovered her target.
The large computer sat against the far wall of a desolate room by an emergency power generator. Apparently, they relied very much on their computer to store information on their members, drug deals, and coordinate their attacks.
A slightly evil smile lit Makoto's face. She was going to enjoy this very much.
Stepping lightly into the room, the second eldest member of Katzen made her way over to the computer, sat down, and began preparing to upload the virus.
* * *
Maki dropped to the ground from her place in the vents.
Coming out on the third floor, she planned to head to the roof and wait for the other girls to meet her. Then they would scale down the side of the building like bats outta hell before Maki detonated the bombs.
She did not expect a hand to reach out of the darkness and clasp hard over her mouth. She also did not expect to get dragged into a nearby room, the door closed and the latch thrown.
"We have to stop meeting like this," came a voice in her ear. Maki's muscles relaxed and her capture released his grip on her.
She couldn't see him in the darkness, but she knew Ken was angry with her.
"Ken" she whispered, "Tonight is the night we've planned for four years. Please don't tell Aya. Please just let us do what we came to do."
She heard him sigh, and felt his hand on her arm.
"I won't tell Aya." He assured her. "But we plan on blowing this place all to hell.so you girls have to leave. Bottom line." His grip on her arm tightened.
"Dammit, Ken" she hissed, "We're going to blow this place up, too! I've already planted the bombs! I think it would be best for you guys to get outta here."
"OK, here's the plan," Ken said after a few moments. "You coordinate with us. Let us know when you guys are ready, and then we'll all leave."
"Together?" Maki asked, a touch of hesitance in her voice.
"Yes," Ken promised, leaning in to kiss her, "Together."
