Manx stood in front of the Weiß members , her back against the large full-
screen television in which Persia's silhouetted usually gave them
instructions for a new mission .
" Weiß . Estet's operatives , the Schwarz are on the move again . Our resources tell us that they have an upcoming mission outside of the country . As of today , we have no specific information about that but we are certain that Mastermind has not yet recovered fully ; which would mean that either they are going to wait a few more weeks until his full recuperation or they will proceed without him . It seems that this is a very important mission for them and it would mean that they're up to no good . Weiß , it is your job to find out what they're up to and stop them ."
Manx took a deep breath and looked at each of the operatives in the eye .
" Well ??" She demanded when none of the three spoke .
" But we're not even sure what they want to do ." Omi said , protesting .
" That's your job remember ? Find out and stop them ?" Manx raised an eyebrow .
Omi sighed in defeat .
Yohji lighted a cigarette and reclined against the leather couch . " Which country ?" He asked casually , the signature sunglasses perching low on his nose .
" The United States of America ."
" Wha -? Shit ! This is gonna be bloody sweet ! Lot's of beautiful women , booze , clubs !" The blond grinned like the cat that ate the canary .
" We're going to a mission , Yohji-kun . Not shoot an MTV video ."
The older assassin threw him a dirty look . " Hey , they didn't say we couldn't have our free time , ne ? So don't be an old grump and let's make plans to parrrtaaay !"
" Well ... is everyone coming ?" Manx raised an eyebrow at the group .
" Of course I'm coming ! Damn ! America !" Yohji was grinning so hard that Manx thought all his teeth were going to fall off .
" Bombay ?"
" Hai , Manxu-san ." Omi replied .
" Abyssinian ?"
The redhead barely even threw her a look and silence reigned in the room as everyone stared at him expectantly .
She could tell that he still doubted whether or not they could handle it ; Schwarz was Schwarz after all . And with Siberian gone - well it was a lot more difficult to deal with ... both emotionally and physically .
She knew it wounds him deeply ; Schwarz and Ken . That entire hullabaloo because of that chip Kritiker 'inserted' that didn't even work . Oh yes . She knew about that ; after all she was Persia's secretary .
Despite all the secrecy ; she was aware of what Aya's relationship with the brunette was and she didn't exactly disapprove - Abyssinian needed someone to be emotionally close with after all . It helped the group along ... well - in a way that at least he cared what was going to happen to his team ...
Finally , after what seemed like hours of his unmoving 'stupor' the redhead gave an almost imperceptible nod .
Manx almost sighed in relief . For a moment she was sure that he wasn't going to play along - but then at the back of her mind she relied on the fact that Aya was dead on vengeance - now with Schwarz as much as with Takatori . And when Aya was like that ... it meant blood .
As much as she hated to say it , Aya was one of their most efficient killers , and losing him would be a terrible blow to Kritiker .
" So when do we go ?"
" I'm waiting for the go signal from Persia ... but it would be soon - very soon . We're monitoring developments on the Schwarz but it would be in two weeks at the most . Mastermind is almost out of Estet Insane Facility ."
Yohji whistled in disbelief . " I really can't believe that freak went to the asylum . Sure , he might be psychopathic at times , but the last time a saw him , Ken and he were getting along pretty sanely ." He bit his lip in guilt when he noticed the redhead flinch momentarily .
" Uh ..." Yohji shifted uncomfortably . Despite the long respite ; it was still a delicate issue among them .
" Why don't we go and fetch some breakfast Yohji-kun ? Aya-kun and Manxu- san might be a little hungry ." Omi said , trying to diffuse the situation . He glanced worriedly from face to face and opted to prod Yohji along hurriedly up the stairs before calling back to remaining two . " We'll be back shortly . Don't leave Manxu-san." And then they were gone .
The two remained in fragile silence , each measuring what to say .
Aya knew Manx regarded Ken as a younger brother - and as a friend , and he felt that he should hover on the topic of Ken being ... but then ; he couldn't even bear to think about it on his own without breaking down - so he chose rather not to speak .
" Aya ."
Mauve eyes turned to her wearily , an unspoken question looming in agitation in its depths .
" We haven't really had the opportunity to talk since ... well since he ... What I mean is , are you alright ... now ?" She put a hand on his shoulder .
" What the fuck do you care ?!" Aya replied brusquely , shrugging her hand off violently and glaring up at her , his eyes flashing with uncontrolled fury .
He didn't plan to react that way , but he couldn't help it . The mere referral to Ken made his heart bleed and he couldn't take it anymore . He had been suffering for months ... alone .
That was what really knifed him through . He was alone in his misery . Aya ... well Aya was still in a coma , and the only other person he could really open up to was Ken , and he was exactly the reason why Aya had been shedding quiet tears for the past few nights .
Manx recoiled at his savage expression . She had to admit that she was more than afraid of him than she cared to show . but her eyes softened immediately . She knew precisely what he was going through and she knew how much it hurts .
Losing someone does not the way you expect it to feel . It doesn't just stay long with you . It doesn't remain deeply painful all-throughout ... instead , it throbs . It reminds you about the pain constantly ; like some sort of divine symphony .
" Aya ... we lost him too ." She said softly .
That was when he broke . The pale mask shattered into an wounded one and a tired cry rose from thin lips .
Manx slid forward to comfort him . They now had something to share between them and Aya was no longer alone .
Red to red .
Red as the blood that flowed .
Red as the dancing flames at night .
Red as the deepest anonymous desires .
And red as the heart that beats inside .
He was no longer alone .
Red to red .
( What do you make of that ?? :P)
- - -
He had to get ready . He needed to strike soon .
He could feel that the ~other~ wolf was near , and he was growing stronger as quickly as it had been gone a few weeks before .
He needed weapons ; he needed firepower . After all , he couldn't very well storm them empty-handed .
No ... they would underestimate him , thinking that his supposed 'death' would bring him to his senses and send him cowering at their feet instead of snapping at their heels . And they wouldn't expect him to find new resources quickly .
But he wasn't , after all , a victim of conformity . And one thing that he learned in this world was to never underestimate the enemy .
He stood up from his place under the tree where he spent the night and brushed off the morning's dew . He stretched slowly and efficiently , just as he had been taught to do in the old days , every tendon , every muscle , primed for sudden action .
He snorted . :: the old days , huh ?::
He yawned and shook his head violently , like a wild animal , trying to remove the dampness in his hair .
He was fairly tall , with short-cropped hair so fair that it was almost white . Dark grey eyes seemed to represent stormy clouds ; ever changing , veiled , secretive . He had compensated with the five days of being buried underground by spending his days under the sun ; giving him a golden tan . Firm muscles rippled under the smooth skin .
He rolled his head , noting with satisfaction the bones cracking in their place .
He needed a plan - and a supplier .
His mind calculated what he needed with startling efficiency .
Semtex or C-4 for blasting the perimeter walls all solidly made of 8-inch concrete ; Nerve gas - for the guard dogs . Despite himself , he tried to avoid killing the animals ; after all , they had no choice but to obey their trainers . Fragmentation grenades for the guards . Timed bombs with special 10-minute pencil detonators ; enough to wipe out all the guards and send them to hell in agony .
Oh yes , he knew his stuff - he was made that way . But where to find it ?
The Bronx was full of illegal arms dealers ; but they'd also stab you in the back and take your money when you aren't looking .
He'd heard of someone near the quay where an ex-mafia handler lived selling live ammunition ... maybe he could go there and *convince* him that the best thing to do under the circumstances is to sponsor him . After all , you don't see a renegade commando asking you for help everyday .
A small smile spread on his handsome face.
Yes ; that's exactly what he was going to do .
But first , he needed transportation . He narrowed his eyes as he scanned the vicinity for vulnerable vehicles he could steal .
Perfect .
A motorcycle was parked near a coffee shop . It was exactly what he needed .
Casually , he strolled to the café ; trying to avoid attention as much as he could in his bad boy outfit of leather and black. And before the owner knew what was happening , roared off in the motorcycle .
The distraught man could do nothing but shout at the thief with his coffee in one hand , a donut in the other and his jaw agape .
He felt the wind through his hair and whipping gently across his face and he smiled ; a smile identical to one who was just several miles away .
He was free again , he was alive . And he had a means of revenge .
His name , was Kyou ... Kyou Hidaka .
Codename : Black Wolf .
- - -
R_M : You wondering what the heck the red prose/poem was about ? Well ... don't ask me ! I don't know either ! It's my alter ego talking !!! ( not that the prose/poem was any good ) (O_O);;; YESYESYESYES ! IT SUCKED ! I KNOW ! GIVE IT UP ! * bangs head on the wall * Out devil ! Demon away ! Garrrrrrghhhh O_O
Readers : *creeped out and walk away muttering* Psycho ...
R_M : Actually ; the part about Aya and Manx was supposed to be the latter part of the chapter ... and then I decided to reveal who the mystery character is by disclosing his name - so I made it the first part of the chapter to give room for all of your reactions.
If you don't like him ; well ; sorry - he IS going to be a major part in the succeeding events so get ready for some pretty steamy action .
Most of you like it when I uh . 'reveal' pasts of the characters ( I think ) ... bwahahahaha ! ( I couldn't keep it ; I just had to laugh out loud like that ^_~) well then , be prepared to be hit by some frigid "pasts" !
* goes away laughing * BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!!!!!
marsupial : * LOL at tantrum * My my , people are grouchy today (^.~) *hands her
a picture of half-naked Ken soapy in the shower * (^__^);;; That should
keep you quiet ne ? ^.~
Mariki : I hope this chapter answers your questions . ^_^
Suisei Lady Dragon : Thanks for saying that although I can't promise that I won't
torture Ken anymore , after all , that's what makes the story uh ...
exciting right ?
Whisper Reilman : Yes , yes , I know what you mean . After all , she IS with Sean
Devlin ( in the uh - relationship aspect ) and she's still drooling over our
Kenken ( in the ... mmmh ... uh ... you know - kind of aspect ) (O_O);;;
Be my guest to shi-ne her ; but not until the last chapter . I need her till
then . ^.^ Thanks for the compliment . I really really really appreciate
your loyalty ( did I use the right connotation ?) You have never failed to
review (T_T) ARIGATOU . ^_~ * hands out pocky ( no , I've never
tasted pocky ) and chocolate-covered Ken candies * (O.O) ooooooh ...
yum yum .
Misura : And I thought things were clearing up too ! ^_~ oh well , we just have to
wait until the next yum-filled chapter ne ?
R_M : ThaNKS for all the help you tried to volunteer . Don't worry ; I no longer have problems with Frontpage ( my BIG BIG BIG BIG PROBLEM now lies in making a site index and uploading it and getting rid of all the pesky pop-ups my host keeps on pestering me with ) (Y_Y) * Wails *
Don't forget to review ! ^_^
" Weiß . Estet's operatives , the Schwarz are on the move again . Our resources tell us that they have an upcoming mission outside of the country . As of today , we have no specific information about that but we are certain that Mastermind has not yet recovered fully ; which would mean that either they are going to wait a few more weeks until his full recuperation or they will proceed without him . It seems that this is a very important mission for them and it would mean that they're up to no good . Weiß , it is your job to find out what they're up to and stop them ."
Manx took a deep breath and looked at each of the operatives in the eye .
" Well ??" She demanded when none of the three spoke .
" But we're not even sure what they want to do ." Omi said , protesting .
" That's your job remember ? Find out and stop them ?" Manx raised an eyebrow .
Omi sighed in defeat .
Yohji lighted a cigarette and reclined against the leather couch . " Which country ?" He asked casually , the signature sunglasses perching low on his nose .
" The United States of America ."
" Wha -? Shit ! This is gonna be bloody sweet ! Lot's of beautiful women , booze , clubs !" The blond grinned like the cat that ate the canary .
" We're going to a mission , Yohji-kun . Not shoot an MTV video ."
The older assassin threw him a dirty look . " Hey , they didn't say we couldn't have our free time , ne ? So don't be an old grump and let's make plans to parrrtaaay !"
" Well ... is everyone coming ?" Manx raised an eyebrow at the group .
" Of course I'm coming ! Damn ! America !" Yohji was grinning so hard that Manx thought all his teeth were going to fall off .
" Bombay ?"
" Hai , Manxu-san ." Omi replied .
" Abyssinian ?"
The redhead barely even threw her a look and silence reigned in the room as everyone stared at him expectantly .
She could tell that he still doubted whether or not they could handle it ; Schwarz was Schwarz after all . And with Siberian gone - well it was a lot more difficult to deal with ... both emotionally and physically .
She knew it wounds him deeply ; Schwarz and Ken . That entire hullabaloo because of that chip Kritiker 'inserted' that didn't even work . Oh yes . She knew about that ; after all she was Persia's secretary .
Despite all the secrecy ; she was aware of what Aya's relationship with the brunette was and she didn't exactly disapprove - Abyssinian needed someone to be emotionally close with after all . It helped the group along ... well - in a way that at least he cared what was going to happen to his team ...
Finally , after what seemed like hours of his unmoving 'stupor' the redhead gave an almost imperceptible nod .
Manx almost sighed in relief . For a moment she was sure that he wasn't going to play along - but then at the back of her mind she relied on the fact that Aya was dead on vengeance - now with Schwarz as much as with Takatori . And when Aya was like that ... it meant blood .
As much as she hated to say it , Aya was one of their most efficient killers , and losing him would be a terrible blow to Kritiker .
" So when do we go ?"
" I'm waiting for the go signal from Persia ... but it would be soon - very soon . We're monitoring developments on the Schwarz but it would be in two weeks at the most . Mastermind is almost out of Estet Insane Facility ."
Yohji whistled in disbelief . " I really can't believe that freak went to the asylum . Sure , he might be psychopathic at times , but the last time a saw him , Ken and he were getting along pretty sanely ." He bit his lip in guilt when he noticed the redhead flinch momentarily .
" Uh ..." Yohji shifted uncomfortably . Despite the long respite ; it was still a delicate issue among them .
" Why don't we go and fetch some breakfast Yohji-kun ? Aya-kun and Manxu- san might be a little hungry ." Omi said , trying to diffuse the situation . He glanced worriedly from face to face and opted to prod Yohji along hurriedly up the stairs before calling back to remaining two . " We'll be back shortly . Don't leave Manxu-san." And then they were gone .
The two remained in fragile silence , each measuring what to say .
Aya knew Manx regarded Ken as a younger brother - and as a friend , and he felt that he should hover on the topic of Ken being ... but then ; he couldn't even bear to think about it on his own without breaking down - so he chose rather not to speak .
" Aya ."
Mauve eyes turned to her wearily , an unspoken question looming in agitation in its depths .
" We haven't really had the opportunity to talk since ... well since he ... What I mean is , are you alright ... now ?" She put a hand on his shoulder .
" What the fuck do you care ?!" Aya replied brusquely , shrugging her hand off violently and glaring up at her , his eyes flashing with uncontrolled fury .
He didn't plan to react that way , but he couldn't help it . The mere referral to Ken made his heart bleed and he couldn't take it anymore . He had been suffering for months ... alone .
That was what really knifed him through . He was alone in his misery . Aya ... well Aya was still in a coma , and the only other person he could really open up to was Ken , and he was exactly the reason why Aya had been shedding quiet tears for the past few nights .
Manx recoiled at his savage expression . She had to admit that she was more than afraid of him than she cared to show . but her eyes softened immediately . She knew precisely what he was going through and she knew how much it hurts .
Losing someone does not the way you expect it to feel . It doesn't just stay long with you . It doesn't remain deeply painful all-throughout ... instead , it throbs . It reminds you about the pain constantly ; like some sort of divine symphony .
" Aya ... we lost him too ." She said softly .
That was when he broke . The pale mask shattered into an wounded one and a tired cry rose from thin lips .
Manx slid forward to comfort him . They now had something to share between them and Aya was no longer alone .
Red to red .
Red as the blood that flowed .
Red as the dancing flames at night .
Red as the deepest anonymous desires .
And red as the heart that beats inside .
He was no longer alone .
Red to red .
( What do you make of that ?? :P)
- - -
He had to get ready . He needed to strike soon .
He could feel that the ~other~ wolf was near , and he was growing stronger as quickly as it had been gone a few weeks before .
He needed weapons ; he needed firepower . After all , he couldn't very well storm them empty-handed .
No ... they would underestimate him , thinking that his supposed 'death' would bring him to his senses and send him cowering at their feet instead of snapping at their heels . And they wouldn't expect him to find new resources quickly .
But he wasn't , after all , a victim of conformity . And one thing that he learned in this world was to never underestimate the enemy .
He stood up from his place under the tree where he spent the night and brushed off the morning's dew . He stretched slowly and efficiently , just as he had been taught to do in the old days , every tendon , every muscle , primed for sudden action .
He snorted . :: the old days , huh ?::
He yawned and shook his head violently , like a wild animal , trying to remove the dampness in his hair .
He was fairly tall , with short-cropped hair so fair that it was almost white . Dark grey eyes seemed to represent stormy clouds ; ever changing , veiled , secretive . He had compensated with the five days of being buried underground by spending his days under the sun ; giving him a golden tan . Firm muscles rippled under the smooth skin .
He rolled his head , noting with satisfaction the bones cracking in their place .
He needed a plan - and a supplier .
His mind calculated what he needed with startling efficiency .
Semtex or C-4 for blasting the perimeter walls all solidly made of 8-inch concrete ; Nerve gas - for the guard dogs . Despite himself , he tried to avoid killing the animals ; after all , they had no choice but to obey their trainers . Fragmentation grenades for the guards . Timed bombs with special 10-minute pencil detonators ; enough to wipe out all the guards and send them to hell in agony .
Oh yes , he knew his stuff - he was made that way . But where to find it ?
The Bronx was full of illegal arms dealers ; but they'd also stab you in the back and take your money when you aren't looking .
He'd heard of someone near the quay where an ex-mafia handler lived selling live ammunition ... maybe he could go there and *convince* him that the best thing to do under the circumstances is to sponsor him . After all , you don't see a renegade commando asking you for help everyday .
A small smile spread on his handsome face.
Yes ; that's exactly what he was going to do .
But first , he needed transportation . He narrowed his eyes as he scanned the vicinity for vulnerable vehicles he could steal .
Perfect .
A motorcycle was parked near a coffee shop . It was exactly what he needed .
Casually , he strolled to the café ; trying to avoid attention as much as he could in his bad boy outfit of leather and black. And before the owner knew what was happening , roared off in the motorcycle .
The distraught man could do nothing but shout at the thief with his coffee in one hand , a donut in the other and his jaw agape .
He felt the wind through his hair and whipping gently across his face and he smiled ; a smile identical to one who was just several miles away .
He was free again , he was alive . And he had a means of revenge .
His name , was Kyou ... Kyou Hidaka .
Codename : Black Wolf .
- - -
R_M : You wondering what the heck the red prose/poem was about ? Well ... don't ask me ! I don't know either ! It's my alter ego talking !!! ( not that the prose/poem was any good ) (O_O);;; YESYESYESYES ! IT SUCKED ! I KNOW ! GIVE IT UP ! * bangs head on the wall * Out devil ! Demon away ! Garrrrrrghhhh O_O
Readers : *creeped out and walk away muttering* Psycho ...
R_M : Actually ; the part about Aya and Manx was supposed to be the latter part of the chapter ... and then I decided to reveal who the mystery character is by disclosing his name - so I made it the first part of the chapter to give room for all of your reactions.
If you don't like him ; well ; sorry - he IS going to be a major part in the succeeding events so get ready for some pretty steamy action .
Most of you like it when I uh . 'reveal' pasts of the characters ( I think ) ... bwahahahaha ! ( I couldn't keep it ; I just had to laugh out loud like that ^_~) well then , be prepared to be hit by some frigid "pasts" !
* goes away laughing * BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!!!!!
marsupial : * LOL at tantrum * My my , people are grouchy today (^.~) *hands her
a picture of half-naked Ken soapy in the shower * (^__^);;; That should
keep you quiet ne ? ^.~
Mariki : I hope this chapter answers your questions . ^_^
Suisei Lady Dragon : Thanks for saying that although I can't promise that I won't
torture Ken anymore , after all , that's what makes the story uh ...
exciting right ?
Whisper Reilman : Yes , yes , I know what you mean . After all , she IS with Sean
Devlin ( in the uh - relationship aspect ) and she's still drooling over our
Kenken ( in the ... mmmh ... uh ... you know - kind of aspect ) (O_O);;;
Be my guest to shi-ne her ; but not until the last chapter . I need her till
then . ^.^ Thanks for the compliment . I really really really appreciate
your loyalty ( did I use the right connotation ?) You have never failed to
review (T_T) ARIGATOU . ^_~ * hands out pocky ( no , I've never
tasted pocky ) and chocolate-covered Ken candies * (O.O) ooooooh ...
yum yum .
Misura : And I thought things were clearing up too ! ^_~ oh well , we just have to
wait until the next yum-filled chapter ne ?
R_M : ThaNKS for all the help you tried to volunteer . Don't worry ; I no longer have problems with Frontpage ( my BIG BIG BIG BIG PROBLEM now lies in making a site index and uploading it and getting rid of all the pesky pop-ups my host keeps on pestering me with ) (Y_Y) * Wails *
Don't forget to review ! ^_^
