Note: Short fic, a 'test chapter'. If anyone likes this, we'll continue. If no one does, we won't.


"Paranoid"

A story by ~Solaris~

Disclaimer: Weiss Kreuz © Koyasu Takehito and Project Weiss. Paranoid by Tantric © Maverick

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You all alone there in the dark
Shadows sinking into you
You're so afraid of everything
Is there something left for you

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Light flickered outside the dark room, peeking through the cracks of the door. The brunette remained unmoved on the floor, pressing his cheek to the cold floor. It didn't matter that it was in the middle of winter and that he would surely catch a cold. He didn't care, not anymore.

His assassin gear was tossed in a pile in one corner of the room. Jade eyes eyed them fearfully, a soft whimper escaping his lips as he squeezed his eyes shut. To keep the visions away, he didn't want them dancing in his head. The bloody apparitions that haunt his sleep every night.

Never leaving him alone despite his pleas and the countless tears that he's shed. No, this is the life of a hunter, forever chased by visions of his prey. Who is the hunter and who is the prey now? The roles switched ages ago, the day he plunged his bugnuk into the man's body and let the crimson life fluid stain the ground.

Who am I?
An assassin.

What am I?
A murderer.

What will I be?
A killer.

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Why bleed for the wicked
If the wicked don't bleed for me

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Since when did the status change? He didn't remember, registering only the flash of pain that he felt as he was hurled backwards. The coppery taste of blood was in his mouth and he spat on the ground, near the man's feet. Disgusted, all he received was another swift kick.

'This is getting monotonous.' He thought with some kind of perverse amusement. He didn't know where the rest of his team was, but they must be through the same thing.

'The kid.' His mind whispered and his eyes widened in realization. If they were all getting the same treatment, he wouldn't want to know what they were doing to the kid. They must have drugged him because there was no way they could have caught him without some sort of fight. And that would have cost them twelve dozen men, knowing the kid's capabilities.

"You are worthless to us." The voice of his tormentors spat. He felt the compelling urge to laugh, but he kept it in check. No reason to lose his mind now, he needed it for later. Too precious.

Another swift kick to his stomach and he landed with a thud on the ground. He suppressed a groan in pain, refusing to let them have the satisfaction of knowing he was feeling pain. He wasn't like Farfarello. But hell, he sure wished he was. Then he wouldn't be able to feel the throbbing pain all over his body.

They won't get it out of him. He won't sacrifice himself for them, hell no. He already sacrificed everything to get him to where he was, but it all had to come crashing down on all of them. But nevertheless, he had happiness, if only for a little while.

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Got to stand up
Psych myself up
That's the way it's gonna be

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It grew so quiet that he would have sworn they could have heard a pin drop. Manx frowned and looked at them with impatience. "I am not kidding. I do expect you to carry out this mission." She snapped. Still, all she got back was blank stares from the group.

"Kritiker wants you to get this done. Everyone is in, whether you like it or not." She muttered.

"Who are you and what have you done to Manx?" Croaked Youji, to his embarrassment, his voice cracked slightly as he said it. It must have been the magnitude of the 'news'. After all, it really wasn't everyday that you have get a mission to save your arc nemesis. The group of people that attempted to kill you numerous times, not to mention make your life hell once in a while.

"This is not the time to act cute, Kudo." Snapped Manx.

"Let me get this straight, Manx, you want us to go and save a member of SCHWARZ?" Ken asked.

"I can spell it out for you if you want, Siberian."

"No need to be pissy, Manx." Youji said calmly. "It's not exactly our ordinary find target, kill target mission you know. Besides, you gave us vague explanations."

"What's going on Manx-san?" Asked Omi.

"Look, all I know is that it's of utmost importance that you get him out of there, Weiss. If they get a hold of him, it might be the end of Kritiker altogether."

"He's that important?" Ken asked. Manx nodded.

"He's a telepath. They have ways to make him useful for them, they just have to break him first." She explained.

"I don't see why this has to involve us." Youji said stubbornly.

"Enough." Snapped Ran, eyes flashing. "We have no choice in this anyway. We'll get on this right away."

"This coming from the guy who wanted to cut Schuldich into tiny little pieces? What the hell is going on? Is someone snatching people all around us and replacing them with badly made clones?" Glares from the two redheads was enough to shut Youji up.

"Ninmu Ryoukai."

He woke up to a pounding headache. Cursing in his native language, he pulled himself up to his feet. No use in sitting around doing nothing. Might as well get his telepathic powers back up. He had to find out where they were keeping his teammates.

But despite his many attempts, he simply didn't have the power to pass the barriers. He had a strong suspicion that his friends might not be in the same place as him. Maybe they did it on purpose, but he didn't know for sure. He needed to regain his strength first.

'Where the hell is Brad Crawford when you need him?' He thought with amusement.

How was it? Is it worth finishing? Please review.