DISCLAIMER: Don't own Lupin—But I do have a cremated dog whose urn I keep placed with a doll collection (long story).

Hey!

Sorry this chapter took so very long to post—I've just had a busy, busy, busy week. Glad everyone liked the last chapter, and I'm prepping to the third series as we speak. I actually have some drawings of the characters, but no scanner… Damn it all…. (shakes fist in frustration)… I even think I have the title ready! I have to sit back a moment and wonder though exactly how long I'll be writing it…. I wonder if I'm the only one who realizes I've been writing this series for over six months… Oh, well—I enjoy every bit of it. And I hope you all do, too. People reading and responding positively and critically has been what's kept this story running.

P.S.: Do you think that Ming should have another girl, or should Jigen get another boy in the family? I'm really honestly split over this. I'd like to hear opinions.

Chapter 38

That Night: Breaking Up is Hard to Do

'Good day sunshine,

Good day sunshine,

Good day sunshine—

I need to laugh,

And when the sun is out—

I've got something I can laugh about'

--The Beatles, 'Good Day Sunshine'

The Louvre Museum:

Amaya had had Yukiko go through the air vents to place cameras as well as a grappling device right over the said statue Fujiko had planned on stealing. Ming had made a wonderful anti-social repairwoman, and made herself unapproachable to the guests and others while she worked simply by leering at them. Yukiko crawled out of a small space that led out to the roof of the museum, and the sore girl hobbled to where Amaya sat. Amaya watched on several pages as Ming and Fujiko went to work stealing the stature. At the click of a mouse button, all of the cameras as well as the security system had been shut off. Two guards out front had meant with a seductive Fujiko, who led them over to a secluded area, where Ming had proceeded to knock them unconscious with a simple metal baseball bat.

The statue was a strange one. It was a new fixture—I statue of an angelic woman. On temporary loan from Rome, and on permanent loan from Paris. Fujiko gave at signal up to Amaya, and Amaya nodded, and pushed another key, The grappling device fell a great length from the open area over the statue, and clipped on. Fujiko gave a thumbs up signal. Amaya stopped, and waited. She and Yukiko watched as Ming and Fujiko fastened the statue, and Ming gave another signal to Amaya. Amaya began to reel it up slowly. Fujiko motioned for her to stop, and Amaya immediately did so.

Ming retrieved a plain wooden roller that had been laying at the side, and kicked it under the statue. When the shadow of it aligned with an X marked in tape on the roller, Fujiko gave another signal. Amaya slowly reeled the statue back down onto the roller. Fujiko and Ming unhooked it, and sent the grappling device back up to Amaya. Yukiko went back into the air vents to retrieve the grappler. Amaya watched as Fujiko and Ming fastened the statue to the roller, and then changed into the outfits of two conservative archaeologists. Amaya herself changed into the garb of a typical Parisian woman, and watched as Yukiko crawled out with the grappler. They packed Amaya's equipment together, and went down a rope to the car, where Fujiko and Ming were loading the statue.

Together the four got it loaded and set off for the house in their car, "Well, that was a great heist if I do say so, ladies… and Ming…" said Fujiko. Ming, who was driving the car, looked at Fujiko severely a moment, and then turned her attention to the road.

"Hey, what's the blinky thing on the statue?" asked Yukiko.

"Blinky thing?" all three women repeated. Amaya reached over, and pulled off a microchip. There was the sound of sirens moments later.

"Uh-oh," Ming floored the gas, and made a sharp left turn. This sent the other three unsuspecting thieves onto the ground, "Relax, I did this all the time in Hong Kong!" Ming reassured them as she dove into a black underground tunnel.

"Who taught you how to drive!?" Amaya demanded as she climbed back into her seat, "I'm driving! Fujiko—Move over!" Amaya demanded. Fujiko climbed into the back of the car, and began to shoot at the tires of the police cars. Yukiko followed soon afterward with her own shooting, and Amaya took control of the car, "Where are we!?" Amaya shouted over the yelling.

"Make a right!" Ming called. Amaya gave a hard turn, briefly spun out of control, but then managed to fall back onto the road, "Left!" Ming shouted. Amaya fishtailed around a corner, losing several police cars in the process.

By the time they made it home, Amaya had worn out the brakes and tires, and the guns of Yukiko and Fujiko disabled all the police.

Fujiko leaned back in her seat, and breathed a sigh of relief, "Well, that went well, huh, guys?"

"Shuddup, Lupin…" Ming grumbled as she tumbled out of the car. Amaya stumbled out as well and cut the statue out in one swoop after regaining her equilibrium.

"Come on, Jigen, where's your sense of humor?" Fujiko chuckled as she grabbed hold of part of the statue, "Yuki, get the roller." Yukiko nodded, and retrieved the roller. The four aching girls then rolled it up to the house, and Fujiko tiredly turned the key to the house.

Zenigata was in the kitchen when he heard the door open. He poked his head out of the kitchen door as he heard the four arguing, and let out a shrill yelp, "Hi, Daddy…" Amaya said as she helped to move the statue into the living room.

"I'm not seeing this! I'm not seeing this!" Zenigata yelled frantically.

"It's all a bad dream, Daddy," Amaya said.

"That's right…" Zenigata nodded, "I need a nap…"

"Yes you do. Go take a nap, Dad…"

"Yeah. I think I'll go lay down…" Zenigata nodded and trudged up the stairs to one of the guest rooms.

"Well, I think she'll be safe for the night in here… Besides, it's good having an angel to watch after us…" Fujiko said with a haughty smile as she looked over her catch with the other three.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm hittin' the sack…" Ming yawned.

"Yeah, I'm hitting the mat…" Amaya added, "Good night, guys," Amaya waved tiredly as she followed Ming up the stairs.

"You get to bed, too, Yukiko," said Fujiko, glancing down at the little girl. Yukiko groaned, and trudged up the stairs, "And brush your teeth!" Fujiko added as Yukiko was almost up the stairway into her room.

"I know, Fujiko…" Yukiko moaned, disappearing into her bedroom.

Fujiko sat back on the back of a couch across from the angel, and stared at it a long time. She found a tie on the coffee table, and strung it around the angel's neck. She soon added a fedora, a cigar in her partially-opened mouth, a bottle of booze in one of her semi- outstretched hands, and a gun in the other,"I think I know what Jigen's guardian angel looks like, now…" she mused to herself.

Fujiko laughed lightly, and then walked over to the playroom, where she heard a video blaring. The lights were on, and the television was playing an obnoxiously bright children's program. The four babies were sleeping in the playpen, and Goemon had fallen asleep on the couch.

Fujiko turned off the lights of the room, and retrieved a blanket from a white cabinet, and draped it over the samurai, "Guess we finally found something that wore you out, Goemon," Fujiko laughed. She bent down to pick up Ari, but he tugged away from her when she tried. Fujiko sighed in defeat; no wonder they were all sleeping in the crib. The Lupin gang refused to separate.

She walked up the stairs to her room, where Lupin had fallen asleep at his desk again. Didn't anyone know how to use the bed anymore? Fujiko changed for bed, and lied down to sleep. She knew better to than to disturb a naturally jumpy person from sleeping.

Downstairs, Later:

"I forgot my gun," Jigen bolted up suddenly from his sleep, "Jesus, if one of those kids find it!" After a few unsuccessful attempts to wake Ming up, he decided he would go down to retrieve the gun himself. Jigen snapped his cane into place, and began the slow and cautious walk down the stairs. He came to a dead halt in the living room as he felt a gun barrel against his temple. Jigen came to a dead halt, and stood straight up.

"Okay, buddy… I'm giving you three seconds to put the gun down before I blow you away," Jigen said in a hoarse whisper, "One…. C'mon, you've gotta have a family—Think about them! Two… Okay…. You asked for it… Three!" he quickly drew a gun that he tucked away in his bathrobe and shot. He was confused by the sound of breaking plaster that followed the shot.

Everyone in the house heard the blast. Goemon, the only adult downstairs, quickly ran out of the children's room, and switched on a light. He found Jigen there, standing over the ruins of what looked to have been a statue at one time.

"Uh-oh…" Jigen muttered as he looked down at the rubble.

"Sonnufabitch," Amaya gasped, and put a hand to her mouth as she surveyed the scene.

"Jigen! You dumb bastard!" Ming shrieked.

"Dad! Oh my God! What'd you DO!?" Yukiko yelped.

"What the hell did I miss?" Lupin inquired.

"I thought he was a gunman!" Jigen protested, "Someone sick freak put a gun in his hand!"

"I did that as a joke!" Fujiko moaned in response, and buried her face in her hands as an act of frustration, "I don't believe it… All of that work, and he shoots it!"

"Sorry," Jigen muttered, placing his gun back in his holster.

"Sorry!? Do you have any idea how much that worth!?" Fujiko snapped irritatedly.

"Nah, gimme an idea," Jigen retorted.

"Ming, I'm going to kick your husband's ass in about five seconds…" said Fujiko.

"Have fun," Ming snorted and folded her arms across her chest.

"Whose side are you on!?" Jigen yelled to Ming, "Having a gun out where the blind guy can run into it isn't a smart thing to do!"

"We didn't think you'd be out this time of night!" Ming retorted. As the group continued to bicker, something in the rubble caught Lupin's eye, and he walked down to meet it. He shuffled through the 'statue', which proved itself to be cheap plaster.

"It's fake," he said to himself calmly with a hint of amusement. All in the room stopped dead, and looked back at Lupin.

"What?" Fujiko asked.

"It's plaster…" Lupin mused, and rose, "Very thick plaster, at that… It's a good copy, by far…"

"What was it doing in a museum!?" Ming asked.

"Because it was meant to hide something…. And there was a time when only one man would've been able to steal this statue…" Lupin responded.

"Let me guess…" Fujiko put her hands on her hips, and joined Lupin. She glanced over his shoulder, and studied the golden medallion he now held. It was designed intricately, in a decidedly Middle-Eastern pattern. Around it was a saying inscribed in a language that seemed almost eerily familiar, "What does it say, Lupin?"

"Not a clue," Lupin shrugged, "But I know someone who would…" he smirked.

Later:

"I am where the sun shines through the darkness of Jerusalem," Natasha read, "Lord, this is an ancient coin! It looks Babylonian, but it's inscribed in old Hebrew! And by old, I mean, old!"

"Like Zenigata old?" Lupin smirked.

"Shut your thieving hole," Zenigata snapped in response, "I still have no idea why you're agreeing to help him, Natasha…"

Because he'd tell you about the time I slept with him, Natasha nearly thought aloud with a cringe, "Well, he's family. Besides, he'd find out, anyway. Why try to avoid the inevitable?"

"Do you have any idea about what the story behind it is?" asked Lupin curiously as he scratched the back of his head.

"I heard about it briefly, while I was still in the Israeli military… Supposed to hold some kind of religious text unmeant for the eyes of mortals," Natasha answered, setting the gold coin down, "Some say it's the lost book of the Torah, others say it's a scroll of the ancestry of Christ, and some say it's actually the Arc of the Covenant. No one was absolutely sure, and I heard all sorts of things in the regiment."

"And my Grandpa found the key to it," Lupin added, "Huh…. Wonder what kept the old man from taking it… Because that man was well above mortality…"

"Religious reasons?" Jigen inquired.

Lupin snorted, "You believe what you want… But Gramps's career wasn't exactly based on saintliness, or that's at least what people like to think."

"Arsene Lupin was just a poor misunderstood thief, huh?" Ming smirked.

"Yeah, and my grandpa was a misunderstood businessman," Jigen muttered.

"What are you planning to do with it, Lupin?" asked Goemon.

"I'm planning to return it to its home—And nab whatever my grandfather could… There had to be some good reason why my family didn't take it…."

"Well, we can all figure out why Lupin, Jr., didn't take it…" Jigen said.

"Too drunk most of the time," Goemon added.

"Hm," Lupin cringed a little, and then returned to his work, "We'll have to find where the sun shines in the darkness of Jerusalem… And hire a babysitter…"

"I'll stay. I'll be damned if I'm going along with your game," Zenigata snapped.

"Oh, but I was hoping you could meet my family, Koichi," said Natasha, putting a hand on his arm and smiling hopefully.

"If Toshiro were here, I could let him and Yukiko do it, but…" Lupin trailed off.

"But he's not," Yukiko finished, "Besides, you guys need me, too."

"Who could we call, then?" Jigen wondered out loud.

"Well…" Lupin took a sharp sigh, "There are two people I can think of…"

"Really? Who?" Fujiko inquired, and watched as Lupin strode over to the phone and began to dial.

"Hello? Oh, hi, Collin," Lupin looked over his shoulder uncomfortably at the disbelieving others.

"Oh, he's not serious…" said Ming flatly.

"He is," Jigen added. Goemon lunged forward, and sliced through the chord of the phone. Lupin quickly dodged out of the way and then looked down at the swinging phone chord.

"They'll be over at three," Lupin said in an obviously annoyed tone. Jigen had just shot through a phone, and Goemon now sliced through one like it was a sheet of paper. He was buying more phones in one week than he had bothered to buy in his lifetime. He tossed the phone aside, and glared at Goemon before he continued, "I'd like everyone to get some rest before we head out. We'll be on the plane by four, guys, looking for that light…"

"I can't believe this," Zenigata said to himself, "And after I was honored for your capture…"

"Does this mean Zenigata's a thief?" asked Yukiko.

"I most certainly AM NOT!" Zenigata yelled in livid response.

"Nah, honey, he's what the law likes to call an accomplice to crime," Lupin responded.

"Why I oughta—" Zenigata lunged for Lupin, but the French thief quickly stepped left, causing Zenigata to tumble into a nearby end table.

"Blood pressure, old man," Lupin warned.

"Well, I dunno about you guys, but I've had my fill of close calls for tonight. I'm hitting the sack," said Jigen, pointing over his shoulder to the stairway.

"Yeah, I'll go, too," Ming nodded, and followed him up the stairs to their room, "Well, I guess I have to thank you for shooting up that statue… We would've been killed for trying to sell it. And that coin! I can't even imagine what's in there! Whatever it is, we'll probably be able to sell it to the Vatican for beaucoup bucks!"

"Why do you constantly remind me of a makeup-wearing Chinese Lupin?" Jigen inquired, "I thought men were supposed to marry women like their mothers… I mean, you two act so alike you could almost be relatives! You even have his groping habits…." Jigen added in annoyance.

"Hey, I thought you liked that," Ming said, nudging him in the shoulder.

"Yeah—But not in front of my mother," Jigen replied, "And not in front of my camera-crazy sister, either!" he added.

Downstairs:

Fujiko had taken Ari and Fuji up into their room, and Goemon and Amaya had also vanished with Heiji. Yukiko also carried Ryo up to her crib. Zenigata had quietly slunk away, still brooding over the thought of actually knowing about a heist, but being able to do little about it. Lupin and Natasha were the only ones left in the living room now—Along with Martha, who laid down at Lupin's feet.

"You know, you don't have to help me," said Lupin, "I know why you feel like you have to do it, but don't worry—I won't tell Pops. I think in all seriousness he'd friggin' kill me."

"You're positive?" Natasha asked.

"Yeah," Lupin nodded.

"Well… It's too late now, anyway. Plus I don't want you guys getting killed over there. It'd really upset both Koichi and myself. You're all like a family to us."

"Uh-huh. To tell you the truth, I'm a little on edge at the thought of going there, considering I'd be traveling with two pregnant women, a kid, and a blind guy, amongst other psychos… But it's just weird that my grandfather never came back for the treasure. Did he forget about it—"

"Or did he find it and something about it scared him so badly that he hid the key to it away," Natasha finished.

"My grandfather didn't get scared," Lupin snapped, "That's the difference between him and my dad!"

"What about you?" asked Natasha, "It's a little arrogant to say you've never been scared. When Remy was going to kill Fujiko, you were scared."

"Whenever Jigen cooks, I'm scared," Lupin retorted, "And for what it's worth, I'm good at being arrogant."

Natasha smirked, "I can see why Koichi refers to you as that 'Dear Little Pain in My Ass'."

"Yeah, but did he really have to sign his Christmas card to me with that?" asked Lupin. Natasha shook her head, and rose from the leather couch, and begin to walk towards her bedroom.

"Back to Jerusalem…" Natasha mused to herself, "And it took me how long to get out?"

Lupin had overheard Natasha, and found this comment amusing. How long they all had run from their pasts, only to have them catch up to them in the end? It was inevitable that it would come back to haunt them.

Later that Morning:

Jigen could hear his door slowly creak open, and raised his head from the somewhat uncomfortable pillow. Sometimes being such a light sleeper could be an annoying trait. It was light enough in the room to see the shape of Yukiko quietly enter the room and close the door behind her.

"What's up, kid?" asked Jigen.

"It's almost eleven… I just wondered if you were awake yet," Yukiko replied quietly, "Sorry if I woke you up…"

"No, no, it's okay. I usually don't get that much sleep in a week!" said father to daughter lightly. Jigen slowly rose from the bed, and heard his spine snap in several places as he walked towards his closet and pulled out a black suit.

"I'm all packed," Yukiko added, rocking back and forth on her feet.

"Say, what's up with you, anyway?" asked Jigen as he looked over at Yukiko, "You still miss him, huh?"

"A little," Yukiko replied, "Amaya's in the living room with Goemon, teaching him how to talk to Toshiro on the computer."

"Well, I better hurry and get dressed, then! Seeing Goemon using a computer is too funny an image to miss seeing!" Jigen laughed.

Downstairs:

CLICK….

CLICK…

THIS COMPUTER HAS PERFORMED AN ILLEGAL OPERATION…

Goemon drew back a little in surprise, "What did I do now?"

Amaya laughed and clicked out of the program, "It tends to do that…." She chuckled as she opened up her e-mail program, "Okay, now you can type a letter to Toshiro…"

"Something I can do," Goemon muttered as he began to type on the keyboard.

Toshiro—

How is New York so far? Having fun? Be sure to study.

Dad

Goemon looked over at Amaya for approval, and became confused by the look on her face, "What?" he asked.

"I—" Amaya stopped, and wondered how to break it to him tactfully, "Why don't you try to elaborate a little?"

"Elaborate?" Goemon looked back at the screen, "That's not sufficient?"

"I'm going to go make some Ramen…" Amaya said after a long pause between the two. Goemon looked back at the screen, and wondered where he had gone wrong in the letter.

There was a ring at the door, and Amaya, one hand full with a cup of Ramen, walked quickly over to it. She opened the door, and nearly dropped her noodles at the sight of Collin. She then regained her composure, "Collin…" she said coldly, addressing the Brit.

"Amaya," Collin nodded coldly.

"Come in," Amaya said after a pause.

"Don't mind if I do," Collin responded, and looked around, "Quaint little chateau you have here… Reminds me of my family's Swiss villa…"

"How was Canada?" asked Amaya.

"Oh, not bad… A bit cold… But that can be expected…" Collin replied.

"I'm going to check my e-mail," Amaya said suddenly, and exited.

Collin breathed a sigh of relief as Amaya exited, "Thank God… Thought she was going to bloody smash my face in…"

"Amaya's just not that kind of girl. She would hate to have to clean the carpet," Collin heard, and looked upward to see Lupin leaning against one of the stairways leading up to the bedrooms.

"Lupin—Good to see you under better circumstances," Collin said with a nod.

"Same here," Lupin added, "You sure you can take care of the kids?"

"I'm the oldest in a family of eight children," Collin smiled, "Trust me."

"And I'm sure you'd like to see Goemon now, huh?" Lupin added, "You people and the strong silent types…"

Lupin turned around and went to go find Goemon, but Collin grabbed onto his jacket sleeve and shook his head, "Rather, no. I'd rather not right now…"

"Personal reasons?" Lupin asked, "Still carry a torch, uh?"

Collin laughed tiredly, "I've got Jean-Paul now… You lads go get ready—I'll fix the kiddies up."

"And I hope you mean in the good way," Lupin said with a vicious smirk.

New York City, New York:

"He never really was much for words…" Toshiro said to himself as he read over his father's brief e-mail.

"Well, at least he was able to figure out a computer," Julia laughed. There was a knock on her door, and she turned, "That must be her…"

"Who?" asked Toshiro.

"A new neighbor. She agreed to give you and me voice lessons if I run her errands. She's really sick or something," Julia answered as she opened the hotel room door.

The voice teacher smiled warmly as she saw Toshiro. Yes, she had found the right place. He had seen him before—Sitting the back seat of a car with her daughter. She had been able to track him down easily enough—Most of her singer friends knew the girl he lived with. She entered the home, and removed her coat, "Konnichiwa," she said.

"Hai—Konnichiwa," a slightly puzzled Toshiro nodded, "Do I know you, Ma'am?"

"I don't think," she shook her head, "It's a pleasure to me you. My name is Kome."

"Well, I'm sure you guys'll both hit it off!" Julia said hopefully, "Miss Kome, why don't you pull yourself up a seat!?"

"Thank you," Kome nodded, and seated herself in one of the cushy hotel chairs. Toshiro could not help but have the feeling that he had met Kome somewhere before.