Disclaimer: hey…it's called fanfiction, you know…
A/N: Sooooooo… you want longer chapters, huh? I'll try my best…
Chapter five: Speed Limit
"Yo, Kenshin! Wait!"
Sanosuke ran down the steps of the hotel to catch up with his friend, who only replied with a dark mutter. "Not Kenshin, Sano; BATTOUSAI." Sano threw his hands up into the air. "Fine, fine, Battousai; but do you mind telling me why the hell I get stuck with the sucky jobs?"
"Sucky jobs?"
"Yeah, sucky jobs. Informing the women? Informing the women? That's it?! I march in the room where they're all having manicures and pedicures and goodness knows what else and just make an announcement and THEN what? Ask them if they can give ME a makeover too?!"
"You could do with one." San rolled his eyes sarcastically. "Gee, thanks, it's so good to have a friend who notices how ugly I am."
"Well it seems to me Megumi-dono finds your 'ugliness' appealing anyway, Sano. Oh and by the way, the women do NOT have a room for their manicures and pedicures, you and Chou might find them at the nearest beach resort, having a tan, though."
Sano's face brightened. "Great! So…with other babes and all?" Battousai was unable to keep the grin from his face. "Yes, Sano; with other 'babes', although I doubt Megumi-dono would be glad to hear you call her that. Now go back inside."
Sano rolled his eyes again. Kenshin was making it sound as if he was the master and Sano was the doggie.
"Woof—I mean, yes, sir!"
Battousai drove away in his Mustang.
***@***
The sights of Japan were blurred as Battousai drove by, frowning and in deep thought. He had long since stopped caring whether or not the authorities caught him violating the speed limit. Right now he was too concerned with the previous attack his mafia group had received from the equally dreaded Green Serpent.
Kenshin swerved swiftly around a corner, his golden and mysterious eyes glimmering as he carefully pondered on the situation. The only people who knew where they kept their goods were people he trusted deeply, and it greatly disappointed him that someone had found out their secret hiding place.
But how did they figure them out? Not unless…
The thought plagued Kenshin madly; in fact too madly that he had to struggle to brake before he could run over a boy crossing the street.
***@***
Misao was truly unstoppable.
Giggling madly under the bright sun, she tossed the beach ball to a laughing Kaoru. Both looked so young and happy no one would have guessed they were members of an elite mafia group.
Megumi rolled her eyes, but she was smiling on her deck chair, watching Kaoru and Misao play beach volley, while she and Tae sat back and relaxed. "This is wonderful!" Kaoru exclaimed. "I'm glad we convinced the men to let us enjoy a day on our own!"
Misao nodded. "Hai, hai…no guys, just us women!" Tae sipped her iced tea sheepishly before quietly adding, "You can say that again." Megumi looked behind where Kaoru, stood with a serious expression on her face. "No, you can't"
Kaoru noticed the change in Megumi's voice and turned around to find someone walking towards them. Megumi sat up, sighing heavily as the figure drew nearer.
Sano never had a chance. A minute and five seconds later, his head was throbbing from the blow Misao had given him.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE, ROOSTER HEAD?! Today's our guy-free day! How dare you come near us?!" Kaoru had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing. Sano glared at them all. "Well for your information, I only came here to tell you the Green Serpent stole all our goods and killed the men guarding it."
Their eyes dimmed, and Tae's hand went to her mouth. "Iie…poor Tsubame-chan's father was one of the men there!"
Sano raised a confused eyebrow. "Tsubame-chan? That sweet little girl Shimano-san brought to headquarters last month?" He asked, still remembering the events of that day. It was of course forbidden to bring children to their headquarters, the place being a dome of secrecy, murder plots, assassins and sex, but Shimano-san had pleaded with the Assassin himself—Battousai, explaining that his wife had just died and he could not leave his little girl alone at home.
Kenshin's eyes had softened, and he himself had lead Tsubame to a separate room where she could watch TV or read books, away from the main room where the meeting was being held. Misao shook her head. "Poor kid, I pity her."
Kaoru's eyes were determined as she looked at her companions. "We must do more than pity her. We have to take her in."
***@***
Kenshin frantically leapt outside of his car. He was a killer—someone who shed the blood of his enemies; his enemies, anyone save children and women, but now there was a great possibility he had just harmed an innocent young man.
He rushed to the front of his car, and found the boy lying on his side, clutching his arm and trying desperately to get up. "Don't move," Kenshin told him, trying to steady him. The response was not exactly pleasant. "Get away from me, stupid bastard!" Kenshin stared in astonishment at the boy, after he felt his temper soar then lower considerably after he took a good look at the boy, then he groaned. The boy's arm was in a peculiar angle—it was broken and he had done the damage.
He bent down closely as the kid closed his eyes and lost consciousness. There was no time to call a goddamn ambulance. Kenshin took great care as he carried the heavily-breathing boy into the backseat of his car.
However, he noticed something hanging from the boy's breast pocket. It was a school ID and imprinted on it was the boy's name. Kenshin looked at the boy desperately.
"Gomen nasai, Yahiko-kun."
Instead of driving straight to the hospital, Kenshin headed back to headquarters. He just hoped Megumi and the women were back from the beach.
***@***
"Ladies, we're almost outta gas, ya know."
Chou said as Sano nodded. It was an hour after they had left the beach, and Chou felt queer as they were driving around with four women in swimsuits and bikinis, trying to spot a young girl all over the city.
He had waited for Sano inside the car as he picked the women up himself, for Chou hadn't been in the mood for the beach. The minute his companions had entered the car, though, Kaoru's voice had strictly told him they were not going to stop driving until they found Tsubame.
Megumi shook her head and sighed. "I hate to admit this, but it's useless looking for her now. We might as well look for her with some of our other members, and with Ken-san's consent, and in proper attires, too."
'Kenshin…' Kaoru didn't know why, but as she looked out the window, she had a fleeting feeling that he was in trouble.
***@***
Shishio grinned darkly. Beside him, Ayumi caressed his bandaged thigh sensuously under the table. "Well? What is the news?"
Soujirou smiled as always. "It is all very well, Master Shishio. The Koreans have agreed to buy the gold for forty million, and the porcelain is being traded in Russia even as we speak."
"And our spy for the Shadow?"
Soujirou's smile broadened like a child's. "Still working as hard as ever, sir."
A/N:
Um…is THAT longer? Okay…I hope so; now review this fic!
